Fox News Network LLC and Kevin O'Leary face a federal defamation lawsuit filed in Utah on July 15, 2026. The dispute concerns claims that critics of O'Leary's proposed Utah project had Chinese backing—not claims that China owns, operates, or is constructing the data center. The case is at the lawsuit stage, with no settlement or consumer claims process identified. Readers therefore have no claim form, eligibility rules, or compensation deadline to act on.
Official resources:
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Table of Contents
- Who filed the lawsuit?
- What do the plaintiffs allege?
- What corrections followed?
- What is the Stratos project's status?
- Can consumers submit a settlement claim?
Who filed the lawsuit?
Alliance for a Better Utah, Elevate Strategies LLC, and founders Joshua Kanter and Gabrielle Finlayson filed the case against O'Leary and fox News. The federal docket published by Justia identifies it as *Kanter et al. v.
O'Leary et al.*, No. 2:26-cv-00664. The docket classifies the dispute as libel and slander and records a jury demand. Libel and slander are forms of defamation involving allegedly false statements that harm a person's or organization's reputation.
What do the plaintiffs allege?
The plaintiffs allege that O'Leary portrayed them as Chinese-government proxies working against his proposed Utah project. They also allege that Fox broadcast those claims, according to Bloomberg Law's report on the complaint.
These remain allegations made by the plaintiffs. They are not findings that a court has determined to be true, defamatory, or legally actionable.
What corrections followed?
In a June 25 X post, O'Leary said he had no evidence that the named people or groups received funding from China or the Chinese Communist Party. Fox Business aired a correction the next day. Fox News Media said it knew of no evidence that the plaintiffs were funded by, directed by, or coordinating with Chinese interests, and apologized.
A correction does not by itself decide legal liability or damages. Fox says it corrected the record on every involved program and will vigorously defend the lawsuit. O'Leary's counsel also indicated that he would defend the case and might counterclaim.
What is the Stratos project's status?
Stratos is a proposed data-center, power, and defense project in Utah's Box Elder County. The county says its May 4 action enabled a planning process through the Military Installation Development Authority, commonly called MIDA. That action did not approve construction.
According to the county's Stratos project FAQ, construction still requires MIDA environmental and building permits, along with state air- and water-quality permits. Descriptions of Stratos as operating or fully approved would therefore be premature. The lawsuit's "China" issue concerns alleged backing of project critics, not the project's ownership or construction.
Can consumers submit a settlement claim?
No consumer claim process is identified in the available case information. This is a defamation case brought by named organizations and individuals, not a published settlement offering compensation to a consumer class. Readers should not provide personal information or pay anyone claiming to submit a settlement request.
A legitimate future claims process would normally identify the settlement terms, eligible group, administrator, deadline, and court overseeing the case. For current filings, readers can monitor the *Kanter v. O'Leary* federal docket. Unless a court-approved settlement or notice later establishes eligibility, there is no verified claim to file.