COLUMBUS, Ohio — A federal judge has denied a request to stop the state of Ohio from moving unclaimed funds into a new state account — clearing the way for hundreds of millions of dollars to help finance the Cleveland Browns’ new domed stadium in Brook Park.

The decision by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. came in a case filed in October by attorneys with DannLaw, who brought a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Ohioans whose unclaimed money is currently held in trust by the state.

Under the two-year operating budget signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on June 30 , Ohio is preparing to transfer $1.7 billion in unclaimed funds that have been dormant at least 10 years.

State officials say about $600 million of that will go toward the Browns stadium project.

Plaintiffs argued t

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