NBC 5 Investigates how a simple ‘twist of lemon’ ended up as a federal case in a Chicago courtroom. And we found scores of other cases like it.

Spencer Sheehan, known as the “Vanilla Vigilante,” has filed over 800 class-action cases, including one against Breyer’s for not disclosing artificial vanilla in their “natural” ice cream, resulting in an $8.85 million settlement. Despite some successful cases, many are dismissed by Chicago federal judges, who criticize Sheehan for challenging trivial issues like the amount of lemon in seltzer water or the ingredients in mayonnaise, labeling them as largely abusive and lacking legitimate claims. Sheehan defends his lawsuits as empowering consumers, while opponents argue they are frivolous and repetitive.

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