Weedweek Scoop: Instagram “extorted” cannabis CEO to restore account, lawsuit claims

California cannabis CEO alleges he has had his Instagram accounts suspended multiple times since 2023 and was forced to pay more than $40,000 to employees to have them restored.

He alleges the payments were part of a “closed loop’ extortionate fraud scheme” where employees of Instagram parent company Meta Platforms “are accepting bribes” from “rivals/competitors/enemies” then “demand/accept payments” to restore the accounts.

Plaintiff Elliot Lewis is CEO of Long Beach-based Catalyst Cannabis, one of California’s largest dispensary chains with more than . . .

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SCOOP: Instagram “extorted” cannabis CEO to restore account, lawsuit claims

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