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A Florida jury has found CNN guilty of defaming a Navy veteran who they claimed was unethically profiting from the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Some shit you should know before you read: Back in 2021, CNN aired a segment about the evacuation of Afghan refugees during the US withdrawal, focusing on contractors charging steep prices for their services. The report referenced Zachary Young, a Navy veteran and security contractor, and included an on-screen graphic with the term “black markets,” implying questionable or unregulated practices. CNN claimed the story was accurate and part of a broader investigation into the high costs of private evacuation efforts in the chaotic conditions of Kabul. Young, however, argued that the report falsely suggested he was profiting unethically and engaging in illegal activity, which he says severely damaged his reputation and cost him business opportunities.

What’s going on now: In a verdict reached after more than eight hours of deliberation, the jury found CNN guilty of defamation per se and defamation by implication, concluding that the network’s reporting was materially false, negligent, and caused significant harm to Young’s reputation and business. The jury awarded Young $5 million in damages—$4 million for lost business opportunities and $1 million for personal suffering—and also deemed him eligible for punitive damages, which will be determined separately.

They also said that CNN’s use of the term “black markets,” paired with Young’s name and face in the segment, implied illegal or unethical behavior, even though the report itself did not directly accuse him of criminal activity. During the trial, CNN’s senior director for standards, Fuzz Hogan, acknowledged that he approved a “three-quarters true” story.