Australian prosecutors have discontinued mining magnate Andrew Forrest’s prison prosecution of Meta over what he stated have been hundreds of rip-off cryptocurrency commercials on Fb that characteristic his face.

The choice is a setback for Forrest, the 37% proprietor of iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group and Australia’s second-richest particular person, in his quest to carry the web large accountable for the advertisements. A separate civil lawsuit he has filed towards Meta over the advertisements in California is ongoing.

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A spokesperson for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions stated on Friday that the division had discovered there was inadequate proof to proceed the prosecution, however didn’t elaborate.

Forrest has accused Meta of breaking Australia’s anti-money laundering legal guidelines by permitting third-party scammers to make use of its software program and platform to promote faux cryptocurrency schemes that characteristic pictures of his face, main individuals to imagine he had endorsed them.

He had pursued the lawsuit underneath Australian legal guidelines that permit a person to criminally prosecute a international company with the consent of the lawyer normal.

Forrest stated in a press release that the choice to dismiss the case was “a tragedy for harmless mother and father and grandparents who’ve misplaced their life financial savings.”

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A Meta spokesperson stated scams have been a posh menace, perpetrators use each out there platform and “our sympathy goes out to individuals who have been impacted”. “Meta would not need scams on its platforms and we’ll proceed to work tirelessly to forestall them and shield our customers,” the spokesperson stated.

Forrest added that he would proceed to pursue the California case, through which he accuses the U.S. agency of taking inadequate steps to forestall the commercials.

In a submitting for that case, Forrest stated Meta promised him in 2019 that it might assist take away the rip-off commercials that includes his face, however that the advertisements saved showing for Australian Fb customers, leading to hefty losses for individuals who have been duped.

The social media large has argued {that a} U.S. legislation exempts web platforms from accountability for content material posted by third events and has sought to have Forrest’s lawsuit dismissed. Forrest contends that Meta’s argument is invalid, arguing that the U.S. legislation solely applies domestically.

From April 2023 to November 2023, greater than 1,000 such commercials appeared on Fb, Forrest’s submitting stated.

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