LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Clint Eastwood filed lawsuits on Thursday over the fraudulent use of his name to sell CBD products and claims that he has retired from the movie business to enter the wellness industry.
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.
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.
