Platkin sues Kevin O'Leary, Fox News over alleged false CCP accusations tied to Utah AI project

Former New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, now a founding partner at Platkin LLP, has filed a defamation lawsuit in Utah against businessman and television personality Kevin O'Leary and Fox News. The suit was filed on behalf of Alliance for a Better Utah, Elevate Strategies, and their founders, Joshua Kanter and Gabrielle Finlayson.

The complaint alleges that O'Leary orchestrated a public campaign, falsely claiming the plaintiffs were funded by or acted on behalf of the Chinese government. This campaign, allegedly amplified by Fox News, aimed to undermine opposition to O'Leary's proposed artificial intelligence data center in Box Elder County. The lawsuit claims O'Leary repeatedly stated these allegations as "irrefutable fact" and claimed to have provided evidence to federal law enforcement. The plaintiffs contend these allegations severely damaged their reputations, organizations, and caused emotional distress and threats to their safety.

The lawsuit asserts that O'Leary only publicly retracted his claims, admitting he had "no evidence," after receiving a legal demand from the plaintiffs. Fox News subsequently aired O'Leary's clarification and issued an apology. Platkin stated that O'Leary chose a "national smear campaign built on absurd falsehoods" instead of addressing community concerns, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for personal, professional, and economic harm.

This litigation comes amidst broader disputes over AI infrastructure expansion, with O'Leary's Utah data center facing opposition from ranchers, environmental advocates, elected officials, and community groups concerned about water and energy consumption, environmental impacts, and government transparency.