Telegraph apologizes, pays damages to Zia Chishti in libel settlement

March 17, 2025 (MLN): The Telegraph Media Group has issued a public apology and agreed to pay "substantial" damages to tech entrepreneur Zia Chishti, founder and CEO of AI company Afiniti, following a libel settlement.

The settlement resolves a legal dispute stemming from a series of articles published by The Telegraph between November 2021 and February 2023, which reported on allegations made by Tatiana Spottiswoode, a former Afiniti employee, to the United States Congress Judiciary Committee.

The allegations, which Mr. Chishti vehemently denies, claimed that he had groomed Ms. Spottiswoode with sexual intent after being introduced to her as a teenager, pursued her with inducements and threats, and engaged in an abusive relationship during their adulthood.

In July 2023, a High Court judge ruled that the articles were "plainly defamatory" and conveyed the aforementioned meanings. The Telegraph initially defended its reporting as being in the public interest and substantially true but has since withdrawn its defense.

As part of the settlement, The Telegraph issued a formal apology in open court, on its website, and in the newspaper. The publication acknowledged the harm caused to Mr. Chishti and his family and agreed to pay significant damages, along with contributing to his legal costs.

In its apology, The Telegraph stated: “We withdraw our earlier position that the allegations were true and made in the public interest. We apologize to Mr. Chishti and his family for the harm caused by our reporting.”

Mr. Chishti expressed relief at the resolution, stating: “I did not commit the horrific acts alleged against me. This three-and-a-half-year ordeal has caused immense damage to my family, reputation, and business interests.

The Telegraph’s apology helps repair the harm done in the UK, and I hope the US Congress will now provide me the same opportunity to refute these allegations as it gave my accuser.”

This settlement follows Mr. Chishti’s victory in a similar defamation case in Pakistan, where he secured the largest defamation damages award in the country’s legal history against Narratives Magazine for reporting the same allegations.

Ben Chew, Mr. Chishti’s US legal counsel, noted: “The Telegraph’s decision to abandon its defense and apologize in open court marks a significant vindication for Mr. Chishti, following his record judgment in Pakistan.”

The online apology has been prominently displayed on The Telegraph’s website, including atop 13 previously published articles about Mr. Chishti.

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