CNN Found Liable for Defamation in Jake Tapper Segment, Ordered to Pay Navy Veteran $5 Million

Jan 17, 2025, 07:15 PM

A Florida jury has found CNN liable for defamation against U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, ordering the network to pay $5 million in damages, including $4 million for lost earnings and $1 million for pain and suffering. The verdict stems from a 2021 report featured on Jake Tapper's show that portrayed Young, who assisted in evacuating people from Afghanistan after the U.S. military withdrawal, as illegally profiting from his efforts. The jury determined that CNN's reporting falsely suggested he was operating on the "black market" and exploiting Afghans seeking to flee the Taliban takeover. Before the jury could decide on punitive damages, CNN and Young reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount.