reported hepatotoxicity cases as "highly probable". Interestingly, race, genetics, age, and sex are all potential risk factors that may predispose individuals to Herbalife side effects In December 2020, a 2019 paper analysing Herbalife's slimming products' association with one patient's fatal acute liver failure was retracted by the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology. According to a co-author of the paper, this was done after threats of legal action by a Delhi-based law firm. Pyramid scheme allegations Critics of the company's structure have contended that it has operated as a pyramid scheme. They have also argued that the company does not sufficiently work to curb abuses by individual distributors, though Herbalife Nutrition has consistently denied the allegations. A 2004 settlement resolved a class-action suit on behalf of 8,700 former and current distributors who accused the company and distributors of "essentially running a pyramid scheme." A total of $6 million was to be paid out, with defendants not admitting guilt. In November 2011, the Commercial Court in Brussels, Belgium ruled that Herbalife was an illegal pyramid scheme. The company filed an appeal on March 8, 2012. On December 3, 2013, a Belgian appeals court found for Herbalife, reversing the lower court's finding. On May 1, 2012, a short seller, David Einhorn, asked questions about the company's business and sales models during the Q1 earnings call, setting off suspicions that Einhorn had a short position. These suspicions were proved correct in January 2013 when at an investor meeting Einhorn revealed that he had profited through a short position against the company. Einhorn said the short had been closed before the end of 2012. Bill Ackman On December 20, 2012, Bill Ackman (of Pershing Square Capital) presented a series of arguments outlining why his firm believed that Herbalife operated a "sophisticated pyramid scheme" and contended that its stock would hit zero. Ackman alleged after a year-long investigation that the majority of distributors lose money, that the chance of making the testimonial-implied headline income is approximately one in five thousand, and that the company materially overstates its distributors' retail sales and understates their recruiting rewards. According to a number of financial commentators, Ackman bet roughly $1 billion against the company; soon after remarks to the press, the price of the stock decreased such that Ackman would have made $300 million if he had closed his short position then. In March 2015, federal prosecutors and the