Kevin O'Leary and Fox News sued for defamation over Chinese money claims

Published Jul 17, 07:00 AM UTC

Kevin O'Leary, star of Shark Tank, and Fox News are being sued for defamation by two Utah-based political organizations, Alliance for a Better Utah and Elevate Strategies, along with their founders. The lawsuit, filed in Utah Federal District Court, alleges O'Leary falsely accused the groups of being linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during multiple media appearances in May and June, claiming they organized bot-written opposition to his proposed data center in Utah. The plaintiffs argue O'Leary's comments caused devastating reputational harm, economic losses, emotional distress, and physical safety threats. O'Leary's attorney dismissed the suit as a 'cash grab' and welcomed discovery. Fox News stated it publicly corrected the record on every program where O'Leary's comments aired. O'Leary later clarified on Instagram that he had no evidence of CCP funding for the groups, but the plaintiffs say this came only after a legal demand and failed to address the harm.