Navy Veteran Zachary Young Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Associated Press Following CNN Victory

Navy Veteran Zachary Young Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Associated Press Following CNN Victory

U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, who recently won a defamation case against CNN, has taken further legal action by filing a lawsuit against the Associated Press. This move comes after Young claims that an article published by AP falsely depicted him as a criminal smuggler. The lawsuit was officially filed on Friday and suggests that the AP article went beyond the inaccuracies previously reported by CNN.

Background on the Case Against CNN

Earlier this year, a jury found in favor of Young, determining that CNN had defamed him by suggesting he profited illegally while assisting individuals in fleeing Afghanistan during the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal in 2021. The court awarded Young $4 million in lost earnings, along with $1 million in personal damages for the pain and suffering he experienced due to the false allegations. Although punitive damages were deemed appropriate by the jury, the matter settled before final determinations could be made.

The Allegations Against Associated Press

In a January report by AP media reporter David Bauder, Young was characterized as someone whose business assisted in smuggling individuals out of Afghanistan. This assertion has provoked Young to take immediate legal action, feeling that the AP’s statements were unfounded and harmful. His attorney, Daniel Lustig, argues that the AP’s claim about Young constitutes a blatant accusation of engaging in illegal human smuggling.

According to the lawsuit, the defamatory statement published by AP insinuated that Young’s actions were criminal. Lustig emphasized that when the article appeared, a Florida court had already ruled that Young had not committed any crime related to the Afghanistan evacuations. This fact, he argues, demonstrates that AP acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

The Legal Implications of Smuggling Accusations

Young’s lawsuit underlines the severe legal implications of the label “smuggling.” The term is often used to describe serious felonies, including human trafficking and drug operations. By linking Young to such grave allegations, the AP essentially classified him as a criminal, something Young vehemently denies.

The complaint states that the AP’s use of the term