Follow-Up Post: Intentional Deception

A year and a half ago, in collaboration with colleague Steve DeVries, I posted about several beleaguered initiatives and failed businesses of serial chocolate entrepreneur Jim Walsh. Read the whole troubling story here. We’re back with an update.

First, the lawsuit filed by Deepak Chopra against Jim Walsh – and Walsh’s cross complaint against Chopra – was resolved via a settlement earlier this year, per this press release from Walsh’s HESA Institute. (For those rushing to catch up, the following article offers a brief summary of the legal situation: Deepak Chopra settles lawsuit against former partner.)

In the months since, Jim Walsh and daughter, Ashley, have embarked on another business venture, again making big claims and promising as-yet-untold gains for Mexican farmers: this time selling a product called Kimo Sabe Mezcal. In Kimo Sabe’s promotional materials, the Walshes continue to cite their previous experiences growing cacao in Mexico (which failed completely) and the preparation of a well-being index survey (which, to the best of our knowledge, was never completed in the failed cacao project) as evidence of their expertise and good intentions toward the community of Oaxaca. Ashley Walsh was featured in a segment on San Diego 6 for the area launch of the product, along with Jeremy LeBlanc, bartender and brand ambassador. You can follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Stay tuned.

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    Bittersweet Notes is an open source research project on chocolate, culture, and the politics of food. I invite you to join me as I explore the story of chocolate and the life stories of those involved with chocolate at its many stages of production and consumption.

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