Athena Bitcoin is facing a lawsuit from AML Software, which alleges that Athena attempted to steal its copyrighted source code, essential for powering Bitcoin ATMs. The formal complaint, filed in Illinois, claims copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, and other unlawful actions linked to Athena's attempts to acquire over 3,000 machines from a third party. The lawsuit identifies Jordan Mirch, who reportedly leads efforts to misappropriate AML’s technology. Athena is also named in a separate lawsuit filed by Washington, D.C.'s attorney general, accusing the firm of profiting from scams targeting elderly customers and imposing hidden fees as high as 26%. Athena’s stock has suffered, having dropped 84% this year, yet it saw a brief rise amid the allegations. The legality of law enforcement actions against Bitcoin ATMs has come under scrutiny as officials work to aid scam victims while preserving the operators' rights to funds in these machines.

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