CNN Loses Defamation Trial Over Afghan Evacuation Report

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In a 2021 report, CNN accused a U.S. Navy veteran of unlawfully overcharging Afghan individuals for their evacuation following the withdrawal of the U.S. military from Afghanistan, and a court has ruled in favor of this accusation.

A Florida jury granted security consultant Zachary Young $5 million in a defamation case on Friday, according to reports from Jeremy Barr of The Washington Post who was present at the trial. This verdict does not include punitive damages, meant to penalize extremely harmful behavior, which could potentially increase the total amount.

The jury in Florida awarded Zachary Young $5 million in a defamation case on Friday. Jeremy Barr of The Washington Post reported this from the trial. This verdict doesn’t include additional damages meant to punish very bad behavior, which could raise the total sum.

The decision might reflect the general opinion people have towards CNN, since they didn’t promptly answer when asked for comment, as President Donald Trump assumes office, following years of him criticizing the network due to claims of biased reporting.

The contentious part starts with Jake Tapper explaining the U.S. government’s evacuation of its citizens. He continues by expressing that Afghans attempting to leave the country are confronted with a black market offering empty promises, excessive charges, and no assurance of safety or success. The segment then transitions to CNN’s chief security correspondent Alex Marquardt who shares the story of an individual residing in the U.S., whose family is still in Afghanistan. This person found people on Facebook demanding $10,000 per person for evacuation services. Marquardt reported that “desperate Afghans are being taken advantage of” due to the “exorbitant” and “unattainable” fees asked, citing a LinkedIn post from Young advertising his services and exchanges between him and potential clients discussing his business.

In 2022, a security consultant based in Austria, previously serving in the Navy and CIA, brought forward a defamation lawsuit. He alleged that a specific broadcast had been intentionally arranged to spread a false narrative suggesting he exploited a situation unlawfully. He firmly rejected this claim, stating that his role was limited to helping U.S. corporations and charities, for which he received payments of up to $14,500, who sought his assistance in removing certain individuals from the country.

In response to a potential lawsuit from Young, CNN publicly apologized on air, retracted the controversial segment, and deleted all mentions of “black markets” linked to him. However, network officials maintained that a correction was not essential during the court proceedings.

Young claimed that the story made it difficult for him to find employment as having a security clearance requires background checks for potential criminal activity and financial troubles. He demanded a minimum of $15 million.

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2025-01-17 20:54