Death Threats Erupt Over California AI Data Center

A defamation lawsuit claims California nonprofit Comite Civico del Valle orchestrated a vicious online campaign to derail a massive AI data center project in Imperial Valley, allegedly hiring someone to publish over 100 false posts targeting the developer and his attorney. The campaign allegedly spiraled into Luigi Mangione-inspired death threats and calls for public executions. The nonprofit, which presents itself as an environmental justice group, allegedly uses California Environmental Quality Act challenges to delay projects and extract financial settlements. Google has been identified as a potential tenant of the facility, though the company denies involvement. The case highlights broader challenges of building large-scale tech infrastructure in California.