Navy Veteran Zachary Young Files Massive $500 Million Defamation Suit Against Associated Press

Navy Veteran Zachary Young Takes On Associated Press In $500 Million Defamation Lawsuit

U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young is turning up the heat on the media world, seeking a jaw-dropping nearly $500 million in damages from the Associated Press (AP) in a defamation lawsuit. Young is breaking down his claim into at least $18 million for economic loss, $50 to $75 million for reputational harm, $5 to $10 million for emotional distress, and a whopping $300 to $350 million in punitive damages, according to recently filed court documents.

This isn't Young’s first media rodeo. Earlier this year, he successfully sued CNN for defamation after the network implied he illegally profited while helping people flee Afghanistan during the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal. The AP, in its own reporting, described Young’s business as having "helped smuggle people out of Afghanistan," which Young claims goes even further than CNN’s allegations.

Young’s legal team has now expanded their complaint to include 40 AP stories that allegedly use the term "smuggling" to suggest criminal activity. They’re not stopping there—his attorneys are demanding internal AP communications related to Young, editorial decisions about the disputed article, and any conversations with CNN employees, as well as information on the outlet’s editorial standards and use of the word "smuggle." Looks like AP’s inbox just got a whole lot busier.

Attorney Daniel Lustig, representing Young, says the hefty damages are backed by expert testimony from the CNN trial. The complaint argues that AP’s reporting crossed the line by repeating a "federal felony accusation" even after a jury found in Young’s favor, with a court ruling that he hadn’t committed any crime, a prior retraction demand, and other public evidence supporting Young.

Despite the heat, the AP is standing its ground. The news agency says its story was "factual and accurate" regarding the jury verdict in Young’s favor and calls the lawsuit "frivolous." They’re apparently ready to defend their reporting with all the gusto you’d expect from a global news giant.

For context, in January, a Florida jury determined Young was owed $4 million in lost earnings and $1 million for emotional damages from CNN, with a settlement reached before punitive damages were finalized. Young is now pursuing his AP case in the same Florida venue.

While the nearly $500 million figure is enough to make anyone’s jaw drop, Young’s legal team notes that the total could still change as more evidence comes to light. One thing is clear: the battle between media outlets and those they report on isn’t cooling off any time soon.