Australian prosecutors drop billionaire Andrew Forrest’s case against Meta

Australian prosecutors have discontinued mining magnate Andrew Forrest’s criminal prosecution of Meta over what he said were thousands of scam cryptocurrency advertisements on Facebook that feature his face.

The decision is a setback for Forrest, the 37% owner of iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group and Australia’s second-richest person, in his quest to hold the internet giant accountable for the ads. A separate civil lawsuit he has filed against Meta over the ads in California is ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions said on Friday that the department had found there was insufficient evidence to continue the prosecution, but did not elaborate.