**Viral News Snippet: "Marc Benioff's 'Forest City' Secret—Salesforce CEO Bans Employees From Talking About His $200 Million Hawaii Utopia"**

Viral News Snippet: “Marc Benioff’s ‘Forest City’ Secret—Salesforce CEO Bans Employees from Talking About His $200 Million Hawaii Utopia”

What’s circulating: A series of X posts and TikTok clips claim Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has secretly purchased a vast, off-limits private compound on the Big Island of Hawaii—complete with a “no-fly zone” for drones—and has imposed a strict internal gag order on all Salesforce employees. The rumor alleges the estate, dubbed “Benioff’s Forest City,” is being built as a zero-carbon tech haven for billionaires and includes underground AI servers that would power a new, private cloud for elite clients only.

The claim: “Benioff bought 1,200 acres near Hilo in 2022. No employee can discuss it under threat of termination. It’s a hidden data fortress—not just a vacation home.”

The reality:

• Partially true: Benioff does own extensive land on Hawaii’s Big Island, which he has spoken about publicly in the past, including a 2018 Forbes profile detailing his conservation efforts and intent to build a low-impact family retreat.
• Mostly exaggerated: There is no evidence of a “no-fly zone,” underground AI servers, or a company-wide gag order. Salesforce confirmed to Hawaii News Now that no such policy exists. The land is primarily for reforestation and conservation—part of Benioff’s climate pledge.
• The story began as a speculative piece on a clickbait tech blog that mixed real property records with dystopian fiction—later amplified by AI-generated voiceover videos on social media.

Verdict: False/misleading. Benioff owns Hawaii land, but the “Forest City” bunker narrative is fabricated. No gag order exists.

Bottom line: This is