The Wall Street Journal is facing a defamation lawsuit in connection with its 2023 article detailing alleged illegal activities related to crypto companies Tether and Bitfinex.
According to research platform OffshoreAlert, Christopher Harborne and his firm AML Global Ltd filed a lawsuit against the publication's parent company, Dow Jones & Company, in Delaware Superior Court on February 28.
Harborne, a shareholder in crypto firm Tether, owns nearly 13% of the company as a result of Bitfinex's redemption plan following a 2016 hack. However, he claims not to hold executive positions in the company.
The defamation lawsuit alleges the article falsely accused Harborne and AMLF of fraud, money laundering and terrorist financing, despite the fact that the publication and its reporters were aware of evidence showing these allegations to be false.