A jury has found that CNN defamed a U.S. Navy veteran in a 2021 report, saying he illegally exploited Afghans by charging exorbitant evacuation fees as the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan.

A Florida jury on Friday awarded security consultant Zachary Young $5 million after a nine-day defamation trial over a story he said destroyed his business and reputation. washington post Reporter Jeremy Barr, who was at the trial, reported the news.

The verdict may be indicative of public sentiment toward CNN, as President Donald Trump has condemned CNN for allegedly biased reporting for years after taking office.

The controversial section begins with Jake Tapper describing the U.S. government's evacuations of citizens. He went on to say that Afghans "trying to leave the country face a black market filled with promises, exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success." Later, CNN Chief Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt ( Alex Marquardt told the story of a man in the United States whose family remains in Afghanistan and said he found someone on Facebook charging $10,000 per person to evacuate. "Desperate Afghans are now being exploited, according to the Afghans and activists we spoke to," because the fees charged are "exorbitant" and "impossible," Marquardt said, noting that Yang posted on LinkedIn of a post advertising his services and chats between him and people inquiring about his business.

Young, a security consultant for a major defense contractor who lives in Austria and has served in the Navy and CIA, filed a defamation lawsuit in 2022, saying the section was created to create a false narrative that he illegally exploited the situation. He denied the claims and said he only assisted U.S. companies and charities, which paid him up to $14,500 for his services, that wanted to evacuate certain people from the country.

Threatened with legal action by Young, CNN issued an on-air apology, retracted the segment, and removed all "black market" content related to him. Network executives testified during the trial that the correction was not necessary.

Young said the story cost him his job because maintaining his security clearance involved investigations to determine criminal activity and financial hardship. He is seeking at least $15 million.