Former Sao Paulo president Julio Casares sues Meta over lost Instagram followers amid separate legal battle against Brazilian club
Ousted chief demands digital compensation
According to ESPN Brasil, Casares is seeking R$10 million (£1,5m/$2m) in damages from the parent company of Instagram and Facebook over a drop in followers alongside his ongoing legal dispute against his former club. Having stepped down in January ahead of impeachment proceedings, he claims his profile was deactivated for five months following coordinated false reports. Consequently, the monetised account's following fell from 600,000 to 562,000 upon reinstatement, and now sits at 553,000.
Coordinated reports trigger five-month suspension
Although his prolific social media activity frequently drew backlash from supporters and political rivals during his presidency, Casares insists he built his audience organically over a decade as a vital communication link with fans and the media. After futile attempts to restore the profile via Meta support, he eventually secured a court injunction, arguing that the ordeal was compounded by his status as a senior citizen who was left "abandoned before a robotic and ineffective customer service system".
Highlighting the lasting impact caused by the five-month blackout, Casares' legal team stated: "Such a significant decline demonstrates that Facebook's conduct did not produce a mere temporary inconvenience, but concrete damage to his digital presence, public authority, professional reach, and the reputational asset built organically by Casares over many years."
Detailing how opponents allegedly exploited the platform to target him after his departure, his defence argued: "Casares, a journalist, public figure, and former president of Sao Paulo Futebol Clube, was abruptly cut off from the channel through which he communicated with approximately 600,000 followers during a particularly sensitive period of public exposure, while also enduring a coordinated campaign by third parties who weaponised the platform's reporting system, publicly celebrated the 'fall' of his profile, and circulated a narrative claiming Casares had 'resigned' from social media."
Courtroom battle challenges club expulsion
Alongside his lawsuit against Meta, ESPN reports that Casares has taken legal action against Sao Paulo to overturn claims of "reckless management" and annul his membership expulsion ordered by the club's Deliberative Council on September 10.
In a petition accessed by the same outlet, the former chief asks the court to recognise his administration as "regular, in good faith, and approved by the competent bodies", insisting "there was no reckless management, misappropriation of funds, or deviation of purpose" and arguing that the allegations "arose in the context of an internal political dispute" at the club.
His lawyers pointed to his 2020 and 2023 election victories and the "unprecedented trophies" won during his tenure, namely the 2023 Copa do Brasil, 2024 Supercopa do Brasil, 2021 Campeonato Paulista and 2025 Copinha, plus a 2022 CONMEBOL Sudamericana runners-up finish.
His defence also cited "commercial and financial progress" through the Morumbis stadium naming rights deal, "new sponsorship agreements" and "financial restructuring". Crucially, the lawsuit argues that Casares acted in "good faith" and was "supported by qualified specialists across the financial, accounting, legal, and compliance departments", meaning "any technical decisions and accounting classifications were the responsibility of those departments" rather than "exclusively that of the president".
Legal deadline coincides with Brasileirao
Earlier in October, the court granted Sao Paulo a 15-day deadline to file their formal defence in response to the former president's petition. Away from the courtroom drama, the Tricolor first team must focus on domestic matters when they host Vasco da Gama in the Campeonato Brasileiro on Saturday night. Following that home clash, they face back-to-back away trips against Mirassol on October 24 and Bahia four days later.
