Class-Action Lawsuit Filed in Seattle Accuses Starbucks of Profiting from Coffee Workers in Brazil Allegedly Forced to Work Under 'Slavery-like Conditions' – CoffeeTalk

A class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle accuses Starbucks of profiting from coffee workers in Brazil, who were allegedly trafficked and forced to work under “slavery-like conditions.” The plaintiffs include a minor child represented by his mother and seven adult men from Quilombo communities in the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil. They claim to have been recruited by illegal labor brokers called “gatos,” who promised high wages but instead subjected them to trafficking and forced labor on coffee plantations in southern Minas Gerais.

The lawsuit alleges that these workers were isolated, threatened, and trapped in debt, with local authorities confirming the conditions amounted to trafficking. Starbucks’ relationship with Cooxupé, a Brazilian coffee cooperative that supplied coffee to the company, is central to the case, suggesting that both entities benefited from the low costs associated with forced labor.

In response, a Starbucks spokesperson stated that the company denies the allegations and is committed to ethical sourcing, having developed standards known as C.A.F.E. Practices over the last two decades. Starbucks conducts regular farm audits and takes action against suppliers when necessary.

The lawsuit cites violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and Brazilian laws against trafficking and forced labor, targeting individuals who lived in Minas Gerais between June 18, 2016, and the present who share similar experiences as the named plaintiffs. The case is a re-filing after an initial lawsuit was dismissed in 2026 for lack of personal jurisdiction, now arguing that Starbucks’ Seattle headquarters provides the proper legal venue.

The plaintiffs seek various damages, including actual, statutory, compensatory, and punitive damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and other costs, and have requested a jury trial.

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