Kevin O'Leary Sued for Defamation Over Fox News China Comments
The 'Shark Tank' investor and Fox News are named in a Utah lawsuit after O'Leary accused opponents of his AI data center plans of being Chinese proxies.
“Fox was instrumental in O’Leary’s defamatory smear campaign, putting him on air to attack Plaintiffs five times in three weeks.”
Kevin O'Leary, the businessman and star of ABC's Shark Tank, is being sued for defamation after making comments on Fox News accusing opponents of his Utah AI data center plans of being backed by China, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in a Utah federal district court by Alliance for a Better Utah, Elevate Strategies, Gabrielle Finlayson, and Josh Kanter. It alleges that O'Leary's on-air attacks caused the plaintiffs to suffer “devastating reputational harm, significant economic losses, severe emotional distress, and ongoing threats to their physical safety.”
What did the lawsuit allege about Fox News?
The complaint states that “Fox was instrumental in O’Leary’s defamatory smear campaign, putting him on air to attack Plaintiffs five times in three weeks.” It further claims the network allowed him to broadcast false accusations “without any qualification.” The suit reportedly lists at least 10 media appearances in May and June where O'Leary repeated similar accusations.
How did Fox News and O'Leary respond?
In a statement, Fox News Media said it “publicly corrected the record on every program where on-air guest Kevin O’Leary’s comments were made, all of which was extensively publicized. We will vigorously defend against this lawsuit.”
In an Instagram post last month, O'Leary clarified that he has “no evidence that Alliance for a Better Utah, Elevate Strategies, Gabrielle Finlayson, Taylor Knuth or Josh Kanter are funded by China or the Chinese Communist Party.” The Hollywood Reporter has also reached out to O'Leary’s attorney for comment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kevin O'Leary best known for?
Kevin O'Leary is best known as a businessman and television personality, most prominently as one of the investor "Sharks" on the long-running ABC reality series Shark Tank.
What was the project the critics were opposing?
The critics were opposing plans for an AI data center in Utah that Kevin O'Leary was involved with. The lawsuit stems from his public comments about those opponents.
What is the legal basis for the lawsuit?
The lawsuit is a defamation claim, alleging that O'Leary's false statements about the plaintiffs' connections to China harmed their reputations and caused economic losses.
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