In December we reported to NLPC followers that Anuradha Mittal (pictured above) was removed from the board of directors for Ben & Jerry’s, which was once under Unilever‘s ownership, but has been spun off under another company called Magnum. This followed news reports that she was formally denounced by the company as unfit to lead, following our own investigative reports about her anti-Semitism and alleged self-dealing.
Now Reuters reports that Mittal has sued the companies for defamation:
The lawsuit escalates a years-long dispute over what Ben & Jerry’s and its board say were Unilever’s efforts to undermine their autonomy and the brand’s social mission, including by removing former Ben & Jerry’s Chief Executive Dave Stever…
In a complaint filed in the Oakland, California, federal court, Mittal said her support for Palestinian rights and a ceasefire in Gaza “rankled” Unilever, with the acrimony escalating after Unilever announced the Magnum spinoff in March 2024.
She said the defamation included claims she engaged in self-dealing, received improper benefits, diverted funds from the nonprofit Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, created a toxic work environment, and was unfit to remain board chair following internal investigations.
“Defendants achieved their goal of thoroughly humiliating and discrediting Ms. Mittal,” harming her reputation and causing depression and chronic insomnia, the complaint said.
NLPC in recent years exposed Mittal’s pro-Hamas views, and her conflict of interest via potential self-dealing with her nonprofit organization, which led NLPC to file a complaint with the IRS.
View NLPC’s investigative reports into Anuradha Mittal here and Ben & Jerry’s here.
