{"slug": "olearys-china-conspiracy-claims-spark-federal-defamation-case-in-utah", "title": "O’Leary’s China conspiracy claims spark federal defamation case in Utah", "summary": "Two Utah residents, Gabi Finlayson and Josh Kanter, filed a federal defamation lawsuit against Kevin O'Leary and Fox News Network, alleging O'Leary falsely accused them on national television and social media of being Chinese government proxies to oppose his AI data center project. The plaintiffs claim the remarks sparked online harassment and damaged their reputations and businesses. O'Leary's attorney called the lawsuit a \"cash grab\" and said counterclaims will be filed.", "body_md": "Two Utah residents have filed a defamation lawsuit against “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary and Fox News Network over comments he made on national television and social media following the approval of his controversial AI data center in Box Elder County\n\nGabi Finlayson, political strategist and founder of Elevate Strategies, and Josh Kanter, nonprofit founder of Alliance for a Better Utah, filed the lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday, claiming O’Leary’s comments sparked online harassment and conspiracy theories that damaged their reputations and businesses, including false claims that they were working for the Chinese Communist Party, per a press release obtained by the Deseret News\n\nIn May, O’Leary [told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo](https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6395222677112) that he believed China was fueling the pushback against his data center proposal.\n\n“At the end of the day, who would want us to stop building our electrical grid? Who would want to stop us from having compute capacity to develop AI? Which adversary would want that? There’s only one. It’s China,” he said.\n\nHe then proceeded to call out Finalyson and Kanter by name, followed by, “What are you doing? And why? Who’s paying you? … These are proxies for the Chinese government. … And if they’re not, because I want them to be able to defend their name, Taylor (Knuth), Josh, and Gabi, come out, come out wherever you are. Let’s audit your books and let’s show the people of Utah you actually care about them.”\n\nIn the press release, Finlayson and Kanter’s legal counsel accused O’Leary of creating a “week-long smear campaign” against their clients.\n\n“Our clients were exercising their right to express their opinions about the future of their community,” attorney Matthew J. Platkin said via press release. “Rather than respond to their concerns, Kevin O’Leary chose to launch a national smear campaign built on absurd falsehoods that Fox News repeatedly affirmed and amplified.”\n\nAccording to the press release, O’Leary [posted on X](https://x.com/kevinolearytv/status/2070227278169059350?s=20) only after receiving a legal demand from the plaintiffs, stating that he had no evidence to support his claims that they were funded by China or the Chinese Communist Party.\n\nO’Leary’s attorney said his client would bring forth counterclaims to the lawsuit when appropriate.\n\n“(O’Leary) clarified his remarks weeks ago and invited these organizations and individuals to sit down with him and discuss the project directly. They declined. Offered dialogue, they chose a courtroom — because this was never about reputation,” attorney Jeffrey Neiman said in a statement obtained by the Deseret News. “It is a cash grab, and the second one: within days of the statements at issue, the plaintiffs were fundraising off of them.”\n\nHe continued, “By way of background, who organizes and funds coordinated opposition to American AI infrastructure is a matter of serious national concern. Sen. Tom Cotton has asked the Department of Justice to investigate foreign influence efforts targeting U.S. data centers, including the network funded by Neville Roy Singham.”\n\nFox News Media said in a statement that it intends to vigorously defend against the lawsuit, arguing that 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.”\n\nThe complaint is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for O’Leary’s actions.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/olearys-china-conspiracy-claims-spark-federal-defamation-case-in-utah", "canonical_source": "https://www.deseret.com/utah/2026/07/15/kevin-oleary-sued-in-utah-federal-court-by-utah-strategist-and-nonprofit/", "published_at": "2026-07-15 22:27:54+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-15 22:43:37.205301+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-infrastructure", "ai-policy"], "entities": ["Kevin O'Leary", "Fox News Network", "Gabi Finlayson", "Josh Kanter", "Elevate Strategies", "Alliance for a Better Utah", "Box Elder County", "Maria Bartiromo"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/olearys-china-conspiracy-claims-spark-federal-defamation-case-in-utah", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/olearys-china-conspiracy-claims-spark-federal-defamation-case-in-utah.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/olearys-china-conspiracy-claims-spark-federal-defamation-case-in-utah.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/olearys-china-conspiracy-claims-spark-federal-defamation-case-in-utah.jsonld"}}