U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, who earlier this year successfully sued CNN for defamation, is now pursuing a nearly $500 million defamation lawsuit against the Associated Press (AP). Young alleges that AP falsely portrayed his business as involved in “human smuggling” during the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, implying illegal activity.
Young’s legal team argues that AP’s description—using terms like “smuggling,” which implies criminal conduct—was knowingly false, as courts have previously found no crime committed by Young. Despite being asked, AP has refused to retract or amend the article.
In response to AP’s motion to dismiss the suit—which claimed the lawsuit lacked merit and infringed on free speech—Young’s attorneys contended that the motion failed to address key issues and wrongly invoked Florida’s anti-SLAPP statute.
At a procedural hearing on May 27 before Judge William S. Henry, who also oversaw the CNN defamation trial, both sides presented arguments on pending motions. Young’s team has also moved to amend the complaint to seek punitive damages, highlighting AP’s “consciously indifferent conduct.”
The case continues to move forward in Bay County, Florida.
