Doe I v. Nestle USA, Inc.

Former child slaves (plaintiffs) forced to work brutal hours under threat of severe punishment on Ivory Coast cocoa plantations sued Nestle and other cocoa companies (defendants) under the Alien Tort Statute, alleging the companies provided financial and technical assistance to the plantations, visited for training and quality control, and lobbied against federal reforms targeting child slave labor, all while knowing of its widespread use; the district court dismissed the claims, and the plaintiffs appealed.