AP and Puck Sued for Defamation Over CNN Lawsuit Coverage

A former member of the U.S. Navy, who initiated legal action against Warner Bros Discovery along with its cable news network CNN, has now brought forth another lawsuit targeting the Associated Press (AP) and new media company Puck News due to their reporting on his initial case.

In January, Zachary Young settled his defamation case CNN was ordered to pay $5 million as a verdict found that they had defamed this individual when their coverage partly revolved around his role in aiding the evacuation of Afghan citizens subsequent to the U.S. military’s departure from the country a few years prior.

The narrative, broadcasted in November 2021, primarily revolved around an alleged "black market" activity where certain American citizens offered Afghans assurances of safe exit from their nation in return for financial compensation.

Young was the sole American contractor singled out by name in the CNN report; however, he wasn't explicitly accused of misconduct. Nonetheless, both his name and picture featured prominently in the segment. The coverage also incorporated an infographic highlighting the “astronomically high charges” levied against certain Afghani citizens.

Initially, Young led a team of contractors who assisted Afghans with evacuating the country a few years back; however, there’s no indication that he ever billed individuals for his assistance. Rather, his organization was supported financially by entities such as Bloomberg and Audible.

Three years back, Young initiated legal action against CNN, claiming the network branded him as an "international outcast" since audience members concluded he was implicated in a pay-for-access arrangement concerning the relocation of Afghan citizens. During the court proceedings, evidence emerged indicating that CNN staff members were sending derogatory texts about Young. Additionally, some individuals testified that they harbored doubts regarding the segment prior to its broadcast on the channel.

In January, a six-member jury supported his claim and directed CNN to provide compensation. This ruling led to a $5 million settlement.

The settlement received extensive coverage from various news outlets, such as the AP and Puck, all of which characterized Young’s role in evacuating Afghan citizens as involving “smuggling.”

This week, Young initiated new legal actions against both platforms, contending that employing the term "smuggling" was derogatory as it implied he engaged in unlawful activities.

The unmistakable message conveyed by the Associated Press' phrasing suggests that Mr. Young transported individuals out of Afghanistan, which constitutes the offense of human trafficking... The assertion is presented as an established truth, yet it is entirely untrue," the complaint states. "Nobody from the Associated Press contacted Mr. Young for his input or explanation prior to releasing this accusation about him transporting people illegally. Furthermore, even post-publication, when Mr. Young requested a correction, the Associated Press disregarded his plea, thereby highlighting their blatant and deliberate ill will.

The complaint further states that those who read the AP article might mistakenly conclude that Mr. Young was involved in a criminal act without having all the details from the court proceedings. It argues that presenting Mr. Young’s defense as though it were merely excuses with phrases like “he claimed” instead of strong counterarguments could lead people to form such misperceptions.

A representative of the Associated Press upheld the story, stating it was a "precise and correct account of the jury decision siding with Zachary Young." However, at least one media organization—US News & World Report—has removed the piece from their site, an action initially noticed by Fox News.

That doesn't present the AP in a favorable light, according to Young's legal representatives, as they pointed out that "[they were] fully aware that other media outlets would cover this story and consequently redistribute it." This statement was made by Young’s lawyer during an interview with a trade magazine.

When they penned that my client was involved in human trafficking, they were aware it would quickly escalate out of control," he stated. "This narrative was deliberately harmful and crafted specifically to tarnish Mr. Young and his enterprise.

The lawsuit against the AP is the third filed by Young involving a news organization. In March, Young filed a case against startup outlet Puck News, which distributes stories through newsletters that attract a high caliber audience of media and advertising industry executives.

The case against Puck largely centers on a line that accused Young of charging "hefty fees" to "panicked locals" for safe passage out of Afghanistan, with those fees occasionally exceeding "thousands of dollars."

The Puck narrative implied that Young was involved in an illegal quid pro quo rescue effort and later initiated a baseless lawsuit against CNN, which he eventually won, according to allegations made in his complaint. Additionally, Young objected to the idea that the suit was lodged in a specific Florida court due to its predominantly conservative voter base, highlighting a statement from the piece mentioning the case was brought forth “in one of Florida’s most staunchly Republican strongholds.” A representative for Puck stated that their organization supports the accuracy of their reportage.

In the end, none of the media outlets released proof contradicting his legal case against CNN, and neither did they demonstrate that Young was involved in any sort of pay-to-play trafficking or rescue operation concerning civilians in Afghanistan.

Reporting from NPR said Young stated that he "earned a 65 percent profit margin from the charges he applied, and received queries from individuals" and "abruptly and rudely dismissed those seeking assistance who were unable to pay his rates."

However, the costs were not borne by Afghani citizens. Instead, his ventures were funded by sources such as Bloomberg, Audible, and more. Although he stated in a LinkedIn update that evacuating a vehicle containing approximately six people from Kabul to neighboring Pakistan would be about $75,000, there was no evidence suggesting that Afghan civilians had to pay for this service.