Christopher Harborne and AML Global Ltd. Sue Wall Street Journal for Defamation
Christopher Harborne and AML Global Ltd. have filed a defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in Delaware state court. The suit alleges that the renowned financial publication tarnished Harborne’s and AML Global’s reputations with baseless accusations of fraud, money laundering, and financing terrorism. The focus of the WSJ article was the purported struggles of Tether and Bitfinex in maintaining connections with the global banking system. Initially, the article contained damaging paragraphs implicating Harborne and AML, which were later removed due to potential inaccuracies.
Key Figures in Tether and Bitfinex
The WSJ article portrayed Phil Pierce, a former child actor turned serial crypto entrepreneur, and Giancarlo Devasini, a former plastic surgeon, as central figures in the creation and management of Tether and Bitfinex. Devasini’s unconventional career trajectory from the operating room to leading one of the oldest crypto exchanges, Bitfinex, was particularly scrutinized. He was depicted as the main decision-maker in both companies. The article also highlighted key individuals like Jean-Louis van Der Velde and Stuart Hoegner, who reportedly had significant control over Tether in 2018.
WSJ Defends Its Actions
In response to the lawsuit, the WSJ defended its actions by citing a review process that led to the removal of contentious sections from the article. However, Harborne and AML remain undeterred, asserting that editing after publication cannot undo the damage caused by the initial defamatory statements.
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