Australian mining billionaire Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest's criminal case against Meta for scam cryptocurrency ads using his image was dismissed by the District Court of Western Australia due to insufficient evidence.

Forrest had accused Meta of violating Australian anti-money laundering laws by allowing the promotion of fake cryptocurrency schemes with his face on their platform.

Despite the dismissal in Australia, Forrest is pursuing a civil lawsuit in California, alleging six counts related to the fraudulent advertisements.

Over 1,000 scam advertisements featuring Forrest's image appeared on Facebook between April and November 2023.

Forrest's civil lawsuit follows his previous attempt to file criminal charges under anti-money laundering laws, accusing Meta of profiting from these illegal advertisements.

Scam ads using deep-fake technology to replicate Forrest's image have persisted on Facebook.

Forrest, with a net worth of $18.7 billion and known for his involvement in Fortescue Metals Group and green energy initiatives, continues to fight against the misuse of his image and fraudulent advertising on Meta's platforms.