Kevin O'Leary has won a $2.8 million defamation judgment against crypto influencer Ben Armstrong after a Florida federal court entered a default ruling in his favour.
The case arose from March 2025 social media posts in which Armstrong falsely accused O’Leary of murder and a cover-up linked to a 2019 boating accident, despite O’Leary never being charged and his wife later being acquitted.
Judge Beth Bloom of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida awarded $2,828,000 in damages after Armstrong failed to respond or appear in court.
The damages included $78,000 for reputational harm, $750,000 for emotional distress and $2 million in punitive damages intended to penalise Armstrong for the false allegations.
The court found Armstrong liable for defamation per se and publication of private facts, noting he also posted O’Leary’s private phone number online and urged followers to “call a real life murderer,” which heightened harassment and security concerns.
Armstrong later sought to set aside the default judgment, citing mental health issues and incarceration, but the judge rejected those arguments, stating he had been properly served and given sufficient opportunity to participate.
The ruling underscores increasing legal accountability for defamatory conduct on social media platforms, particularly when false claims are broadcast to large online audiences.