$5M Verdict Against CNN for Defamation of Former Intelligence Operative
Case: Young v. CNN, Inc., No. 22000608CA (Fla. 14th Cir. Ct. filed June 15, 2022)
In 2021, CNN aired a story on The Lead with Jake Tapper that portrayed Zachary Young, a U.S. Navy veteran and private security contractor, as exploiting Afghans trying to flee the country after the U.S. military withdrawal. The segment used the phrase “black market,” which implied Young was profiting illicitly from desperate people. Young said this was false: he claimed his work was legitimate, paid for by corporate sponsors (like Audible and Bloomberg), and not by charging fleeing Afghans directly. He said the story damaged his reputation, led to lost business, and caused personal and financial harm.
In January 2025, after a trial in Panama City, Florida, a jury awarded Young $5 million in compensatory damages ($4 million for lost business/revenue, $1 million for pain and suffering) for defamation. The case was heading into a second phase for punitive damages, but CNN settled with Young before punitive damages were determined. Evidence presented in trial included internal CNN messages expressing doubts about the story’s accuracy, and criticism of Young from CNN staff.
