CNN

Florida Jury Awards $5 Million to Navy Veteran in High-Profile CNN Defamation Case

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Tampa, Florida — A Florida jury has awarded $5 million to Zachary Young, a U.S. Navy veteran, settling a high-profile defamation case against CNN on Friday. This verdict follows intense jury deliberations which concluded after more than eight hours. The dispute centered on a CNN segment that aired critical claims about Young’s conduct during the evacuations following the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Further complicating the media landscape is CNN’s decision to settle the remaining claims for an undisclosed amount, underscoring the fragile trust that the public holds in longstanding news institutions. This sentiment has … Read more

Florida Jury Condemns CNN for Defamation, Awards Navy Vet $5 Million in Damages Over Mischaracterized Afghanistan Rescue Efforts

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Panama City, Florida – A Florida jury awarded $5 million in damages to a U.S. Navy veteran on Friday, concluding that CNN had defamed him in a 2021 report focused on individuals involved in efforts to evacuate endangered Afghans after the Taliban’s ascension to power in Afghanistan. The case, which centered on the depiction of the veteran, Zachary Young, involved allegations that CNN’s coverage unfairly branded him as part of a “black market” operation charging high fees to extract Afghans from the country. Young asserted that his business was oriented toward finding sponsors to help … Read more

Navy Veteran Wins Defamation Case Against CNN Following Settlement Agreement

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PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A Florida jury has ruled that CNN defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, leading to a significant financial settlement. After deliberating for over eight hours, the six-person jury determined that CNN was liable for punitive damages due to misrepresentative reporting on Young’s efforts to help Afghan refugees during the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The detailed allegations against CNN centered on a November 2021 news segment suggesting that Young had profited illegally from coordinating evacuations out of Afghanistan. The jury granted Young $4 million for lost earnings and $1 million … Read more

Jury Orders CNN to Pay $5 Million for Defamation in Case Involving Afghan Refugee Story, Settles on Punitive Damages

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Panama City, Fla. — A Florida jury on Friday ruled in favor of a security contractor, Zachary Young, mandating CNN to pay $5 million for defamation linked to a 2021 story addressing the plight of Afghan refugees. The lawsuit alleged that CNN’s story harmed Young’s professional reputation by inaccurately portraying his business operations in a negative light. The story in question aired as the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, leading to a chaotic exodus of those fearing for their future under the regime. Young, who provided evacuation services, came under scrutiny for allegedly operating in … Read more