Approved claimants in the $8.75 million Botanic Tonics Feel Free kratom settlement reported receiving second payments of $44.44 in September 2026. The money comes from uncashed first-round checks, and there is nothing new to file.
What Is Happening?
People who filed approved claims in the $8.75 million Feel Free Wellness Tonic settlement have reported receiving a second payment of $44.44 in late September 2026. The case is In re Botanic Tonics Litigation, No. 3:23-cv-01460-VC, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.A second round was built into the settlement from the start of payments. The court’s final approval order, entered October 20, 2025, says money left over from uncashed checks goes first to class members through a second pro rata distribution, and only after that to a court-approved charity. The official settlement website had not posted an announcement about the second round as of September 28, 2026, and Open Class Actions has not confirmed the $44.44 figure against an official number.
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Where the Second Payment Comes From
The first round of payments went to approved claimants after final approval. Some of those checks were never cashed. Under the final approval order, that money is split again among class members on the same pro rata basis rather than going straight to charity.The court docket lines up with the timing. The settlement administrator filed a post-distribution accounting on August 19, 2026, and the court entered an order on August 24, 2026. Second checks reaching claimants about a month later fits that sequence. The text of the August 24 order is not publicly posted, so the exact total being redistributed is not known.
Why Amounts May Differ
Payments in this settlement were calculated per bottle. Claimants could list up to 10 bottles without proof of purchase and more with receipts, and each share was set by the total number of valid claims. A claimant who listed more bottles may receive a different second payment than one who listed fewer, so $44.44 should not be read as a flat amount for everyone.What Was the Case About?
The lawsuits alleged that Botanic Tonics marketed Feel Free as a kava drink and a safe alternative to alcohol without adequately disclosing that it contained kratom or warning about its risks. Botanic Tonics denies any wrongdoing, and the court did not decide who was right; the parties settled. The class covered people in the United States who bought kratom-containing Feel Free tonics between March 28, 2019 and March 5, 2025.Questions
Why am I getting a second Feel Free settlement check?
The final approval order entered October 20, 2025 directs that money left over from uncashed first-round checks goes first to settlement class members through a second pro rata distribution, before any remainder goes to a court-approved charity. The second checks reported in September 2026 come from that leftover money.
Is everyone getting $44.44?
Not necessarily. $44.44 is the amount claimants have reported, and Open Class Actions has not confirmed it against an official figure. Payments in this settlement are pro rata and based on the number of bottles claimed, so the second payment may differ from one claimant to another.
Do I need to do anything to get the second payment?
No. The second distribution goes to class members whose claims were approved. There is no new claim form, and the claim deadline of June 17, 2025 has passed. Anyone who did not file a claim will not receive a payment.
What if my Feel Free claim was rejected?
The court approved a deficiency notice process for claims the administrator flagged as possibly invalid, and class counsel told the court in December 2025 that the administrator had handled about 327 inquiries about rejection or deficiency notices. Questions about a specific claim go to the administrator through the contact details in the notice or on the official settlement website.
Sources
• Order Granting Final Approval, In re Botanic Tonics Litigation, No. 3:23-cv-01460-VC (N.D. Cal. Oct. 20, 2025), Dkt. 158• Class Counsel’s Response to Objection, Dkt. 162 (Dec. 11, 2025)
• CourtListener docket, including the August 19, 2026 post-distribution accounting and the August 24, 2026 order
• Official settlement website
• Full case background: $8.75M Feel Free Wellness Tonic Kratom Settlement
