Florida Times

Florida: Driving America's New Greatness.
Friday, May 09, 2025

CNN Reaches Settlement in Defamation Case with U.S. Navy Veteran Following $5 Million Verdict

CNN Reaches Settlement in Defamation Case with U.S. Navy Veteran Following $5 Million Verdict

The agreement was reached just hours after a Florida jury sided with the plaintiff, Navy veteran Zachary Young, in a defamation case.
PANAMA CITY, Florida, Jan 17, 2025 — CNN reached a settlement on Friday with U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, wrapping up a defamation lawsuit in which a jury had previously granted $5 million in damages to the plaintiff.

The settlement, announced by Circuit Judge William Henry, came just hours after the jury's verdict, circumventing a second trial phase to assess punitive damages.

Case Background
Zachary Young, a former Navy member and security consultant, filed a lawsuit against CNN in 2022. He claimed the network tarnished his reputation by depicting him as profiteering off Afghan citizens during the disordered U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. These accusations were based on a segment from CNN’s 'The Lead with Jake Tapper,' which characterized Young’s actions as part of a 'black market' scheme charging 'exorbitant' fees to Afghans in need of evacuation.

Young asserted he was aiding corporations and charities in extracting individuals from Afghanistan amid the Taliban's return to power.

He contended that CNN’s reporting wrongly suggested he exploited Afghan citizens and engaged in unlawful conduct.

Legal Proceedings
Conducted in a Florida state court, the trial spanned two weeks and featured testimonies from both parties.

The six-member jury determined CNN was liable for defamation and awarded Young $5 million in damages.

This verdict anticipated a second trial phase for punitive damages, which the settlement now forecloses.

In court, CNN defended its reporting but admitted in March 2022 that it regretted labeling Young’s work as a 'black market.'

Following the settlement, CNN released a statement expressing pride in its journalism while committing to learn from the case.

Details of the settlement were not revealed.

Statements from Both Sides
Young’s attorney, Vel Freedman, expressed satisfaction with the resolution, noting that the case had vindicated Young and achieved justice for his client.

Young, in a dark suit and blue tie, was seen smiling in court as the proceedings came to an end.

Judge Henry praised the legal teams for their efforts before closing the case.

A CNN spokesperson declined to detail the settlement terms but reaffirmed the network's dedication to its journalistic standards.

Allegations and Implications
The lawsuit focused on accusations that the segment unjustly connected Young to exploitation and illegal activity.

The segment showed Young’s name and photo beside a chyron mentioning a 'black market' for evacuations, which he claimed misrepresented his actions and intentions.

Young’s case underscores the intricacies of reporting on delicate issues, especially those involving humanitarian crises and security operations.

The settlement concludes a prominent defamation case that has spotlighted the responsibilities of media outlets in their reporting practices.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Raid on Underground Nightclub in Colorado Springs Yields Over 100 Arrests
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
Corrupted from Within: How Deep State Power and Unelected Judges Hijacked Democracy Against the Will of the People
World Leaders Gather in Rome for Pope Francis's Funeral
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Alberta's Push for Independence Raises Questions About Canada's National Unity
Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein accuser, dies by suicide
Bill Maher Slams Liberals for ‘Trump is Hitler’ Smear: ‘Insult to Holocaust Victims
Elites vs. America: How Democrats Lost the Plot and the People
Pam Bondi Details Wisconsin Judge’s Actions Before Arrest: 'Can't Make This Up'
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Peter Navarro: The Man Behind Trump’s Tariff Madness
Milwaukee Judge Arrested on Allegations of Aiding Undocumented Immigrant’s Escape
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
U.S. Intelligence Chief Refers Classified Leak Cases to Justice Department
U.S. Justice Department and DOGE Announce Cuts to Federal Grants Amid Broader Government Efficiency Efforts
Trump administration moves to BAN essentially ALL artificial food dyes in the USA food supply at RFK Jr.'s direction
Woman slaps man at sports game and gets herself and husband beat up
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
China do not pay these tariffs - you pay it. This is new 145% tax you pay to the US government.
The legacy media will never show you this side of President Trump
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
Greek Christians Celebrate Easter in Thessaloníki
×