The business of influencers in the sights of justice. An investigation was opened on September 6 for “deceptive commercial practices” against Shauna Events, Magali Berdah’s influencer agency, following a complaint made by rapper Booba, we learned on Monday from the parquet floor of Grasse (Alpes-Maritimes). It was entrusted to the police station in Antibes, the city where this company is registered. Initially filed in Paris, the complaint was sent to Grasse at the end of August. She also denounced an “organized gang scam” which was not retained.
In July, Booba’s lawyer, Me Patrick Klugman, explained: “He takes it to heart to denounce what appears to him to be an injustice. He gives himself the means so that all the light is shed on [le milieu] influencers who rely on the fake: fake stars, fake products but real harm to the consumer”.
Another investigation opened for harassment
According to the complaints, “there appears a complex and organized scam system, centralized by the company Shauna Events”, a “system fueled by the passivity of social networks […] used by influencers to promote scams”. They list several testimonials from consumers received by the rapper and claiming to have been defrauded by companies promoted by influencers linked to Shauna Events: merchandise not received and not reimbursed, non-compliant products, etc.
For several months, Magali Berdah has accused the rapper of targeting her on social networks for several months “by false and humiliating publications”. She obtained the opening of an investigation at the National Pole for the Fight against Online Hate (PNLH) of the Paris prosecutor’s office for death threats, harassment and public insult. Justice had ordered the deletion of Booba’s Instagram account (@OKLM) as well as his Twitter account (@booba).
The latter quickly opened a new Instagram account (@elieyaffaofficiel) and appealed to the judge in chambers to request the cancellation of the decision. The Marseille criminal court must give its deliberation in this case on October 3.