Navy Veteran Zachary Young Escalates Defamation Fight Against Associated Press, Demands Nearly $500M
Panama City, FL – May 6, 2025 – U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young has ramped up his legal war against the Associated Press (AP), filing a defamation lawsuit in Bay County, Florida, seeking close to $500 million in damages. The suit follows Young’s recent $5 million victory against CNN in January 2025, where a Florida jury ruled the network defamed him by falsely claiming he profited from a “black market” evacuation scheme during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Now, Young alleges an AP article covering that trial worsened the damage by accusing him of “smuggling” people out of Afghanistan—a term he says wrongly implies criminal activity.
The lawsuit, filed on May 2, 2025, demands $18 million for economic losses, $50-75 million for reputational damage, $5-10 million for emotional distress, and $300-350 million in punitive damages. Young’s legal team argues that the AP’s use of “smuggling” across 40 articles amplified CNN’s falsehoods, devastating his reputation and livelihood. “The AP took a bad situation and made it exponentially worse by slapping a criminal label on a veteran who risked everything to save lives,” said lead attorney Michael Smith.
Young, who operated a private evacuation company during the Afghanistan crisis, helped rescue vulnerable Afghans, including women and children, as the Taliban seized control. His attorneys say his efforts were lawful and coordinated with U.S. authorities, making the AP’s portrayal not only false but also malicious. They accuse the outlet of failing to verify its reporting and ignoring evidence of Young’s humanitarian work.
The AP has called the lawsuit “frivolous” and pledged to defend its journalism. “Our reporting on the CNN trial and Mr. Young’s activities was accurate and fair,” an AP spokesperson stated. “We will fight these claims in court.”
Legal analysts note that Young must prove “actual malice” to win, showing the AP knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. The case could set a precedent for how media outlets cover complex international stories, especially those involving private individuals thrust into public controversies.
The lawsuit comes amid a wave of defamation cases against major media, with Young’s CNN victory fueling his resolve. “I served my country honorably and saved lives in a warzone,” Young said. “I won’t let the media destroy me with lies.”
A preliminary hearing is set for July 2025, promising a heated legal showdown.