The boss of BrewDog has claimed that he was forced into hiring private investigators in order to save his business from trolls.
James Watt, who is under fire for making the decision, says he has been the target of a two-year plot to ruin his reputation.
The craft beer CEO said he had no idea who was behind this, so hired Glasgow-based Integritas Investigative Solutions.
The Scottish Sun reports he shared the news with shareholders and told them he'd also obtained a High Court order to identify those responsible.
Watt also added that further legal action is now on the way including criminal cases.
He said: “As Equity Punks, you will all know full well, I have a duty to act in the best interests of the company, our employees and investors.
“This duty extends to protecting the business from malicious individuals who wish to cause us harm.”
“I have been subject to a 2 year-long co-ordinated criminal campaign of online harassment, defamation, blackmail, significant fraud, and malicious communications.
“This campaign began when appalling lies about me were sent by third parties, operating through troll accounts, to a large number of my social media connections, making vile and false allegations about me.
“In their own words they have been working together on ‘a plot to bring James down.’”
The private investigators who said that they were working for the BrewDog chief said they had gathered evidence.
They also told one interviewee that they were former police officers and had been hired by to build a case.
A spokesperson for Integritas said: "We conduct all our investigations with the utmost integrity.”
Watt and Martin Dickie co-founded BrewDog in a garage but the company now employs more than 2,400 staff globally.
Last year, former workers claimed there was a “culture of fear” at the company.
Watt was accused of inappropriate behaviour towards staff in a BBC documentary in January.
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