Zachary Young alleged CNN defamed him in a report by chief security correspondent Alex Marquardt that said he operated in a "black market."

Chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt denied that his report about security contractor Zachary Young was a “hit piece.”

A Florida jury on Friday found CNN guilty of defaming a Navy veteran who helped Afghans flee their country following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. Zachary Young, who is a security consultant, sued the network alleging CNN "destroyed his reputation and business" by branding him an "illegal profiteer" who exploited "desperate Afghans" during a Nov.