SALT LAKE CITY — Two Utah-based political groups on Wednesday sued Kevin O’Leary and Fox News in federal court, alleging that the Shark Tank star and the network promoted false claims tying the organizations to the Chinese Communist Party and causing significant harm during a local fight over a planned data center.
What the lawsuit says
The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Utah, names the Alliance for a Better Utah and Elevate Strategies as plaintiffs. Their founders, Joshua Kanter of Alliance for a Better Utah and Gabrielle Finlayson of Elevate Strategies, are listed as injured parties. The groups contend O’Leary repeatedly characterized their opposition to the data center as part of a foreign-backed campaign, which they say produced reputational damage, financial losses and safety concerns.
"The plaintiffs have put their operations, funding, and coordination squarely at issue. We welcome that, and we look forward to discovery and uncovering the facts related to the misinformation campaign against the data center in Utah," an attorney for O’Leary said in response.
The suit accuses O’Leary of mounting what it describes as a multi-appearance campaign to label the two organizations as agents or "cells" connected to the Chinese government. It seeks compensatory damages to be decided at trial and asks the court to award punitive damages intended to deter similar conduct in the future.
Responses and legal posture
An attorney for O’Leary characterized the lawsuit as a "cash grab," saying the plaintiffs have used O’Leary’s remarks as a fundraising tool and that the litigation will invite scrutiny of the groups’ own activities. The suit also names Fox News, where some of the contested statements aired.
The filings specify multiple on-air appearances and interviews as the occasions where the disputed commentary took place, and they frame the allegations as a coordinated smear that went beyond ordinary political dispute.
Local context and implications
The case grows out of public controversy around a proposed data center project in Utah — a development that drew organized opposition from community and political groups. The lawsuit underscores how local land-use and economic debates can escalate into national media conflicts, with potential legal fallout for both commentators and outlets that report or amplify contested claims.
- Plaintiffs: Alliance for a Better Utah; Elevate Strategies; Joshua Kanter; Gabrielle Finlayson
- Defendants: Kevin O’Leary; Fox News
- Court: U.S. District Court, District of Utah
- Relief sought: Compensatory and punitive damages
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Alleged harm | Reputational damage, economic loss, emotional distress, threats to safety |
| Basis of claim | Defamation over statements linking groups to foreign government influence |
| Next steps | Case proceeds in federal court; discovery anticipated |
For Utah residents, the litigation may affect future public debate around large infrastructure projects and the role national media personalities play in shaping local controversies. The lawsuit opens a federal courtroom as the next arena for resolving whether the statements crossed legal lines or fell within protected political speech.
News Block will monitor filings and court dates as they become available and report further developments, including any scheduled hearings, responses from Fox News beyond the attorney statement, and the parties’ positions revealed during discovery.
