A Florida jury concluded the network smeared the man’s reputation, awarding $5 million for losses and suffering and weighing additional punitive damages.

A Florida jury on Friday determined that CNN defamed security contractor Zachary Young, who argued that his reputation and business were destroyed after he was featured in a November 2021 segment on the network about the high costs of evacuating Afghans from the country after the Taliban took power.

The jury deliberated for more than eight hours starting before ruling in favor of Zachary Young in his defamation suit against CNN.