Zachary Young et al vs. Cable News Network, Inc.

Case Background

On March 31, 2022, Plaintiff Zachary Young filed a Defamation lawsuit in the United States District Court, Florida Southern (Case number: 9:22cv80527). Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II presided over this case.

Cause

In late 2021, during the chaotic aftermath of the Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan, Zachary Young, a former U.S. Navy veteran and government operative, recognized an urgent need for professional evacuation services. Leveraging his decades of experience in high-risk environments and his network of trusted contacts, Young began providing safe and legal evacuations for multinational corporations and NGOs through Nemex Enterprises Inc., his Florida-based consulting company. Young directed his efforts exclusively toward organizations with the resources to fund these operations. He advertised on LinkedIn, a professional networking platform, explicitly targeting corporate sponsors with funding, not individual Afghan citizens. His advertisements clearly stated his capacity to deliver results for sponsors, highlighting his qualifications and successful track record. Despite these facts, CNN aired and published defamatory content, falsely accusing Young of exploiting “desperate Afghans” and conducting operations on a “black market.” These false narratives created a misleading and damaging portrayal of Young’s lawful activities.

Injuries

CNN’s defamatory statements caused significant and immediate harm to Zachary Young and Nemex Enterprises Inc. The false allegations irreparably damaged Young’s professional reputation within the security and national defense sectors, where trust and integrity are paramount. By labeling Young as someone who exploited vulne