Kevin O'Leary and Fox News sued over claims that data center critics had CCP ties
Kevin O'Leary and Fox News are facing a defamation lawsuit for allegedly falsely claiming that critics of a Utah data center project were foreign agents linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The plaintiffs argue these claims damaged their reputations and were made without evidence.
Why it matters
This case highlights the legal risks of public figures using inflammatory rhetoric regarding foreign influence in domestic infrastructure projects.
Kevin O'Leary accused several critics of his massive Stratos data center project of being foreign agents backed by the Chinese Communist Party. Romain Maurice/Getty Images A Kevin O'Leary-backed company is trying to build a massive data center in Box Elder County, Utah. The "Shark Tank" star went on news programs, accusing the project's critics of being foreign agents. O'Leary later said on social media that he had no evidence that the critics were funded by China. Back in May, "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary made a series of media appearances accusing some vocal opponents of his data center plans in Box Elder County, Utah, of being foreign-backed agents. Now, Mr. Wonderful is being sued for defamation.
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