Source: aktualne.cz
Author of comment: Mgr. Mgr. Radim Obert
Six million dollars, i.e. over 133 million crowns. That is how much the American actor Clint Eastwood sued a Lithuanian company for which, according to the court, falsely gave customers the impression that the Hollywood star promoted products containing cannabis. The misuse of celebrity names and photos is also common in the Czech Republic, especially for “super-good” investments. But experts say it is difficult to trace the owners of companies which do this.
According to The New York Times, a year ago Eastwood sued several companies that deal in cannabis and cannabis products. They were mostly small producers whose products were promoted in a fraudulent article, which Eastwood’s lawyers say misused the actor’s name to promote the products by, among other things, falsely claiming that he endorsed their products. The lawsuits, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, alleged that the companies disseminated fictitious messages claiming that Hollywood actor and director Eastwood had given up filmmaking to concentrate on the CBD business. CBD is cannabidiol (a product of hemp), which is currently booming – it is not intoxicating and, according to some doctors, has a number of positive effects. It is sold as a dietary supplement or added to creams and ointments. There are even self-service vending machines for some CBD-based products in the Czech Republic. Eastwood, however, was not involved in the production or promotion of CBD, according to the indictment. According to The New York Times, the court document states that the online article included a fake interview that gave the impression that it took place as part of NBC’s popular USA Today show. The interview also included a photo from the actor’s actual appearance on the show and references the purchasing of CBD products. “Mr. Eastwood has no connection to CBD products and has never given such an interview,” the document says.
Read the full article here. The article is in Czech.
