Lawsuit Alleges Nonprofit Launched Vicious Online Campaign to Derail California AI Data Center

Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing claims Comite Civico del Valle used defamation and threats to force a financial settlement.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 1:28am

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a futuristic data center server rack, with neon cyan and magenta lights illuminating the intricate hardware components, conveying the scale and complexity of the technology powering modern AI and cloud computing.A conceptual rendering of the advanced hardware and infrastructure powering the proposed AI data center, whose construction has sparked a bitter legal battle in California's Imperial Valley.Imperial Today

A $10 billion AI data center project in California's Imperial Valley has sparked a bitter legal battle, with the developer accusing a local nonprofit of launching a vicious online campaign featuring death threats and calls for "public executions" in an effort to stall the project and force a financial settlement.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights the challenges of building large-scale tech infrastructure projects in California, where environmental regulations can be leveraged to delay or derail developments. It also raises concerns about the use of online harassment and intimidation tactics to influence local policy decisions.

The details

According to a defamation lawsuit filed by Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing (IVCM) and its attorney Sebastian Rucci, the nonprofit Comite Civico del Valle (CCV) hired Jake Tison to create a brutal social media campaign attacking IVCM and Rucci. The lawsuit alleges Tison published over 100 false and defamatory posts and videos, calling Rucci a "life-long fraud" and accusing him of violating environmental regulations. The lawsuit claims Tison's followers then escalated the attacks, with comments calling for "public executions" and threatening to "burn the data center to the ground." CCV denies the allegations, calling the lawsuit "meritless" and defending its right to engage in "good-faith policy advocacy."

  • The $10 billion data center project was proposed in 2024.
  • The city of Imperial sued the county in 2025, arguing the project should not have received an environmental exemption.
  • Rucci sued the city earlier this year, in addition to now suing the activists who oppose the project.

The players

Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing (IVCM)

The company developing the $10 billion AI data center project in Imperial, California.

Sebastian Rucci

The attorney representing IVCM in the defamation lawsuit against Comite Civico del Valle.

Comite Civico del Valle (CCV)

A California nonprofit that the lawsuit claims hired Jake Tison to launch a vicious online campaign against IVCM and Rucci in an effort to stall the data center project.

Jake Tison

The individual the lawsuit alleges was hired by CCV to create the online attack campaign against IVCM and Rucci.

Alene Taber

The attorney representing the city of Imperial, which has sued the county over the data center project.

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What they’re saying

“This lawsuit is meritless and its foundational claims lack a factual basis. The intention of this lawsuit should be questioned by all who value transparency, community voice, and the fundamental right of organizations to engage in good-faith policy advocacy on issues affecting the health, environment, and future of the Imperial Valley.”

— Douglas Carstens, Attorney for Comite Civico del Valle

“The ultimate tenant will surface when the environmental terrorists, and their hired-thug propagandists, are forced to scatter like cockroaches after being exposed for their actions. They are extortionists, not environmentalists.”

— Sebastian Rucci, Attorney for Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing

What’s next

The Imperial County Board of Supervisors is expected to hold additional public meetings to gather feedback on the data center project. The legal battles between the developer, the city, and the activist group are likely to continue as the project moves through the approval process.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the growing tensions between tech companies seeking to build large-scale infrastructure projects and local communities concerned about the environmental and social impacts. It underscores the need for more collaborative and transparent processes to address these complex issues.