The 90-year-old "Dirty Harry"
star alleged that his name and likeness were
being used in online scams to sell CBD oil,
gummies and other products.
CBD, or cannabidoil, is a non-psychoactive
compound in cannabis, and is also derived from
the hemp plant. It was legalized in the United
States in 2018.
"Mr. Eastwood does not have, and never has had,
any association with the manufacture, promotion,
and/or sale of any CBD products," the lawsuit
states.
The first lawsuit cites an online news article
carrying a purported interview in which Eastwood
falsely reveals that he is developing a new CBD
line and is "stepping away from the spotlight to
put more time into his wellness business."
Eastwood, a double Oscar-winning director and
actor, rarely endorses anything, the lawsuit
said. Furthermore he "does not express a point
of view about CBD products or the legitimate CBD
industry," his representative said in a
statement.
A second lawsuit claims that programming code
has been used to illegally insert Eastwood's
name into some online searches for CBD products.
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The two related lawsuits, which
allege defamation, trademark infringements and
invasion of privacy, seek unspecified damages
and injunctions. They were filed in a federal
court in California against a number of
laboratories, corporations and individuals but
the lawsuit said their true identity was
unknown.
“My client is not one to sit idly by as the
defendants use his good name to dupe customers
into purchasing products with which he has no
affiliation," Eastwood's lawyer Jordan Susman
said in a statement.
Eastwood won Oscars for directing the movies "Unforgiven"
and "Million Dollar Baby." His most recent film,
"Richard Jewell" was released in 2019.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Jonathan
Oatis)
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