August 13, 2026  ·  Complaint filed July 27, 2026  ·  txnd, No. 3:26-cv-02483

Newman News, By David Brunk

Read the filing

Patrick v. Gaetz Claims Defendants falsely accused Patrick of orchestrating a $270,000,000 fraud

Mark Eric Patrick and DFW Charitable Foundation filed suit against former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, One America News Network (OANN), and Dallas County resident Lance Gooden in the 193rd Judicial District Court in Dallas County, Texas, on June 29, 2026, alleging defamation and defamation per se under Texas law. The plaintiffs seek monetary relief exceeding $1,000,000, including actual damages to be proven at trial, exemplary damages to the maximum amount allowed by Texas law, prejudgment and post-judgment interest at the highest rate permitted by law, and a public retraction of statements they contend falsely accused Patrick of orchestrating a "$270-million-dollar fraud" involving charitable assets.

The complaint alleges that during a March 6, 2026, broadcast of The Matt Gaetz Show, Gaetz and OANN aired statements calling Patrick a "criminal," "fraudster," and "confidence man" who "committed a 270-million-dollar fraud" and misappropriated funds from DFW Charitable Foundation, a Delaware-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. According to the filing, the defendants republished these statements without verifying their accuracy, despite a February 10, 2026, judgment from the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands that the complaint says exculpated Patrick of fraud allegations.

The plaintiffs further allege that Gaetz and OANN aired a pre-recorded interview with Gooden containing similar defamatory statements. The suit seeks a jury trial and discovery under Level 3 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.

Alleged defamatory mechanism during March 6, 2026 The Matt Gaetz Show broadcast

The complaint alleges that on March 6, 2026, One America News Network (OANN) aired an episode of The Matt Gaetz Show containing statements that falsely accused Mark Eric Patrick of orchestrating a "$270-million-dollar fraud," misappropriating charitable assets, and enriching himself and his associates. According to the filing, Matt Gaetz, during the broadcast, described Patrick as a "criminal," "fraudster," and "confidence man" who "committed a 270-million-dollar fraud." The complaint further alleges that Gaetz and OANN aired a pre-recorded interview with Lance Gooden containing similar defamatory statements without verifying their truth.

The complaint alleges these statements were made despite the existence of a February 10, 2026, judgment from the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, which the Plaintiffs contend included exculpatory findings regarding Patrick. The Plaintiffs assert that the Defendants' failure to consult publicly available judicial records or issue retractions demonstrates reckless disregard for the truth.

The Plaintiffs allege that the broadcast identified Patrick by name and as a Dallas, Texas resident, amplifying the reputational harm caused by the statements.

$270,000,000 Alleged Fraud and Damages Sought Under Texas Law

The complaint in Patrick v. Gaetz alleges that during the March 6, 2026 broadcast of The Matt Gaetz Show, defendants Matt Gaetz, One America News Network, and Lance Gooden falsely accused Mark Eric Patrick of orchestrating a "$270-million-dollar fraud" involving the misappropriation of charitable assets and personal enrichment. According to the filing, the statements described Patrick as a "criminal," "fraudster," and "confidence man" who "committed a 270-million-dollar fraud." The complaint further alleges that Gaetz stated, "Just remember, it's bad enough when someone steals from a business or a private citizen, but this story is about charity funds."

Plaintiffs contend these statements were made with actual malice, as defendants ignored a February 10, 2026 judgment from the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, which included exculpatory findings regarding Patrick. The court found it was "unpersuaded that there is a real risk that [charitable] assets will be diminished or otherwise unlawfully dealt with." The complaint characterizes the statements as falsely implying criminal conduct and causing reputational harm to Patrick and DFW Charitable Foundation, a Delaware-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

In their prayer for relief, plaintiffs seek monetary damages exceeding $1,000,000.00, including actual damages to be proven at trial, exemplary damages for the original publication and each day the defamatory statements remain unretracted (up to the maximum amount allowed by Texas law), and prejudgment and post-judgment interest at the highest rate permitted by law. The complaint also demands a public apology, retraction, and correction fully exonerating plaintiffs, as well as a jury trial on all triable issues of fact.

Parties: Mark Eric Patrick, DFW Charitable Foundation, Matt Gaetz, OANN, and Lance Gooden

Plaintiffs Mark Eric Patrick and DFW Charitable Foundation filed suit in the 193rd Judicial District Court in Dallas County, Texas, alleging defamation and defamation per se under Texas law against three defendants: former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, the cable news network One America News Network (OANN), and Dallas County resident Lance Gooden.

The complaint identifies Mark Eric Patrick as a private individual residing in Dallas, Texas. DFW Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation organized under Delaware law. The filing states that defendants used Patrick’s image and identified him as a Dallas, Texas resident in their publications.

Defendant Matt Gaetz is a former U.S. Congressman from Florida. Herring Networks, Inc., doing business as One America News Network (OANN), is named as a defendant in its capacity as the for-profit cable news channel that aired the allegedly defamatory broadcast. Lance Gooden, a resident of Dallas County, Texas, is the third defendant, described in the complaint as having participated in a pre-recorded interview that was aired without verification of its contents.

Defamation and Defamation Per Se under Texas law (Count One)

The complaint alleges that all defendants—Matt Gaetz, Herring Networks, Inc. d/b/a One America News Network, and Lance Gooden—violated Texas law by publishing false and defamatory statements about plaintiffs Mark Eric Patrick and DFW Charitable Foundation. In Count One, the plaintiffs assert claims for defamation and defamation per se under Texas common law. In paragraph 29, the complaint states that the defendants’ publications were false and defamatory, "both in the particular facts and in their main point."

In support of their claim, the plaintiffs emphasize that the defendants’ statements were not merely false but were made with reckless disregard for the truth. The plaintiffs further assert that the defendants ignored a February 10, 2026, judgment from the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, which included exculpatory findings regarding Patrick. Despite this publicly available judicial record, the defendants allegedly failed to verify the truth of their statements before broadcasting them.

Actual malice, Cayman Islands judgment, and refusal to retract

The complaint alleges that defendants Matt Gaetz, One America News Network, and Lance Gooden acted with actual malice by publishing statements they knew were false or by recklessly disregarding their truth or falsity. According to the filing, defendants ignored a February 10, 2026 judgment from the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands that included exculpatory findings regarding Mark Patrick. The court found it was "unpersuaded that there is a real risk that [charitable] assets will be diminished or otherwise unlawfully dealt with," a direct contradiction of the $270 million fraud claim aired on The Matt Gaetz Show.

The complaint asserts that defendants "purposefully avoided the truth" by failing to consult the publicly available Cayman Islands judgment or other judicial records before broadcasting the allegations. It further alleges that plaintiffs served written demands for retraction, which defendants "failed and/or refused to issue," a refusal the complaint characterizes as demonstrating ongoing malice.

The complaint states that defendants’ conduct involved "extreme risk and conscious indifference to the rights of Plaintiffs," a threshold for exemplary damages under Texas law. The complaint notes that despite repeated requests, defendants have not issued a public apology, retraction, or correction.

Distinctive pleadings: vehicle tampering, lack of public concern, and non-privileged statements

In paragraph 22, the complaint alleges that following the publication of the Defendants’ statements, an unknown person tampered with the brake lines of a vehicle associated with Mark Eric Patrick. While the filing does not claim the defendants directly ordered the act, it asserts the tampering was a foreseeable consequence of the defendants’ repeated accusations.

In paragraph 28, the complaint asserts that the accusations—centered on Patrick’s management of a private charitable foundation—did not involve "a matter of public concern," distinguishing the case from disputes over public policy or government conduct. The filing emphasizes that DFW Charitable Foundation is a Delaware-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity and that Mark Patrick is a private individual.

In paragraph 33, the complaint asserts that the defendants’ statements were not protected under Texas law. It alleges that the March 6, 2026 broadcast of The Matt Gaetz Show did not constitute a "fair, true, and impartial account of any judicial proceeding." The filing notes that the statements were made outside the House chambers.

Relief sought: $1,000,000+ in damages, retractions, jury trial, and procedural posture

Plaintiffs Mark Eric Patrick and DFW Charitable Foundation demand monetary relief exceeding $1,000,000.00 in their defamation suit against Matt Gaetz, One America News Network, and Lance Gooden, filed June 29, 2026, in the 193rd Judicial District Court, Dallas County, Texas. The petition seeks exemplary damages for the original publication and for each day the defamatory statements remain unretracted, up to the maximum amount allowed by Texas law. Plaintiffs also request actual damages, the amount to be proven at trial, along with prejudgment and post-judgment interest at the highest rate permitted by law.

The complaint alleges that the defendants’ statements—broadcast during the March 6, 2026, episode of The Matt Gaetz Show—falsely accused Patrick of orchestrating a "$270-million-dollar fraud," misappropriating charitable assets, and enriching himself and his associates. According to the filing, these statements were made with actual malice, as the defendants ignored a February 10, 2026, judgment from the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands that included exculpatory findings regarding Patrick. Plaintiffs contend that the defendants’ refusal to issue retractions or corrections further demonstrates reckless disregard for the truth, justifying their demand for exemplary damages.

In addition to financial relief, the plaintiffs seek a public apology, retraction, and correction that "fully exonerate" them, as well as a trial by jury on all triable issues of fact. The petition also requests discovery under Level 3 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure 190.4, which governs cases with an anticipated need for extensive discovery. Plaintiffs argue that the defendants’ conduct—including the failure to verify the truth of their statements or consult publicly available judicial records—warrants this heightened procedural posture.

The allegations described here are taken from the filing and remain unproven; no responsive pleading is reflected in the source document.

The allegations described here are taken from the filing and remain unproven; no responsive pleading is reflected in the source document.

David Brunk is a civil litigation attorney. He can be reached at david@newmanbrunk.com.