US Court Tells Zia Chishti: It’s Over
A U.S. federal appeals court has affirmed the dismissal of former TRG Pakistan and Afiniti Chief Executive Officer Zia Chishti’s defamation lawsuit against former Afiniti employee Tatiana Spottiswoode and her legal representatives, concluding that his claims fail as a matter of law. The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upholds a September 2024 decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice after finding that the claims could not proceed under applicable U.S. law. Appeals Court Affirms Earlier Dismissal The dispute arose from Spottiswoode’s testimony before a U.S. congressional committee in 2021 regarding a 2019 arbitration proceeding in which she prevailed on claims against Chishti. The congressional hearing later contributed to legislative changes in the United States ending mandatory arbitration for workplace sexual assault and sexual harassment claims. Defamation Claims Rejected Chishti subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit, alleging that Spottiswoode’s congressional testimony, subsequent media interviews, and related public statements were false and breached confidentiality obligations arising from the arbitration proceedings. In its decision, the appeals court agreed with the district court’s conclusion that the statements challenged by Chishti were protected under U.S. law and that his complaint failed to establish legally actionable defamation. The court also rejected arguments seeking to revisit the arbitration outcome through the litigation. Court Addresses Telegraph Settlement The judgment also addressed Chishti’s reliance on a settlement with The Telegraph in the United Kingdom, concluding that the agreement did not alter the findings of the U.S. arbitration or provide a basis to revive his defamation claims. Legal Proceedings Continue to Conclude The appeals court’s decision leaves intact the dismissal of the lawsuit, bringing to a close another stage of the legal proceedings stemming from the long-running dispute. Ruling Reinforces Earlier Court Decision By affirming the district court’s dismissal with prejudice, the U.S. Court of Appeals has concluded that the defamation claims cannot proceed under applicable U.S. law. The decision represents the latest judicial development in the legal dispute arising from the 2019 arbitration and subsequent congressional testimony.
