Apple (AAPL) is once again under legal scrutiny after a U.S.-based advocacy group filed a lawsuit in Washington, Reuters reported. The tech giant has been accused of using minerals tied to conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
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The complaint, brought by International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates), alleges that Apple’s supply chain continues to include cobalt, tin, tantalum, and tungsten sourced from mines linked to child labor, forced labor, and armed groups.
Filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the lawsuit seeks a court determination that Apple violated consumer protection laws, an injunction against alleged deceptive marketing, and reimbursement of legal costs.
Group Targets Apple Repeatedly
This is not the first time IRAdvocates has targeted the iPhone maker. The group previously sued Tesla (TSLA), Apple, and other tech firms over cobalt sourcing. However, U.S. courts dismissed that case last year.
Also, French prosecutors dropped Congo’s case against Apple subsidiaries in December, citing a lack of evidence. Meanwhile, a related complaint in Belgium remains under investigation.
Apple Defends Supply Chain Practices
Apple has denied wrongdoing, pointing to supplier audits and its code of conduct. The company said that it instructed suppliers to halt sourcing from Congo and Rwanda. Also, in December, it declared there was “no reasonable basis” to say that its smelters or refiners financed armed groups.
Apple also highlighted that 76% of cobalt in its devices was recycled in 2024, though IRAdvocates argues its accounting methods allow mixing recycled material with ore from conflict zones.
Is AAPL Stock a Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, Apple stock has a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on 21 Buy, 12 Hold, and two Sell recommendations over the last three months. The average AAPL price target of $289.17 implies 4.01% upside potential from current levels.
