Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has sued Business Insider, alleging the media company defamed him.
Portnoy, 44, says two articles, one published in 2021 and another published this year, were an attempt to smear his reputation and included falsehoods.
The articles say Portnoy engaged in rough sex with multiple women and filmed some of them without permission. They included a quote from one comparing what allegedly happened to rape.
“Nevertheless, Insider is attempting to cash in on the climate of fear and ‘cancel culture’ permeating the media, whereby it has become open season for anyone to make any claim (no matter how vile and unsupported) about anyone seemingly without consequence.”
According to the suit, Insider was presented with evidence that contradicts the allegations laid out in the stories but still refuses to update, correct, or retract them.
Instead, the company has continued “to use Mr. Portnoy as bait to attract consumers to its subscription service,” the suit says.
Both articles about Portnoy are not accessible unless readers subscribe to Insider. They’re included as exhibits in the filing.
A spokesperson for the publication told The Epoch Times via email, “We stand behind our reporting and will defend the case vigorously.”
Blodget is named as a defendant, as are Carlson and reporters Julia Black and Melkorka Licea.
Portnoy is asking the court to award him damages, the amount of which he says should be determined by a jury.
