Zachary Young, a US Navy veteran and head of private security firm Nemex Enterprises, was awarded at least $5 million in damages after a Florida jury found CNN defamed him in a 2021 report.
The segment alleged that Young exploited fleeing Afghans by charging exorbitant fees during evacuations following the Taliban’s takeover, claims he denied, stating his services were funded by sponsors, not individuals.
Evidence presented at trial included internal CNN messages revealing derogatory remarks about Young.
While CNN issued a partial apology in 2022, it stood by its reporting, which Young argued lacked due diligence. Following the defamatory report, Young’s business collapsed despite rescuing 23 people during the chaotic US withdrawal.
A settlement was later reached for undisclosed punitive damages.
