In a lawsuit filed on March 15, 2024, in the Court of Appeal of the State of California, Sixth Appellate District (Case ID: H050042), plaintiffs Steve Wozniak and 17 other individuals are suing YouTube LLC and Google for their alleged involvement in a cryptocurrency scam. The lawsuit alleges that popular YouTube channels were hijacked to broadcast fraudulent videos promising double returns on cryptocurrency investments, resulting in substantial financial losses for the victims.
The plaintiffs include Steve Wozniak, whose own YouTube channel was hijacked, and 17 others who fell victim to the scam. They allege that YouTube and Google knowingly hosted, promoted, and profited from this scam for years. The victims lost varying amounts of cryptocurrency due to this fraudulent scheme.
The trial court initially dismissed the plaintiffs' claims citing immunity under the Communications Decency Act of 1996. However, on appeal, the plaintiffs argue that they seek to hold defendants liable not as publishers or speakers of third-party content but for actions they knew would further criminal activity.
The plaintiffs are seeking judgment against YouTube and Google for their alleged complicity in promoting and profiting from these scams. They also demand compensation for their financial losses incurred due to these fraudulent activities.