Hunter Biden says he is “grateful that the rule of law prevailed” in a defamation lawsuit that netted him $1.7 million in punitive damages from former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne. The judgment was handed down by a federal judge in California on Friday.
Social media statement
In his first public comments about the ruling, Biden posted on social media citing a portion of the decision that said Byrne “is not credible, fabricates awesome and farfetched narratives to garner attention in the media, and fabricated the defamatory story at issue in this case to damage the plaintiff’s reputation”. US District Judge Stephen Wilson’s “order … speaks for itself”, Biden wrote, along with a link to the decision.
Background of the lawsuit
Biden sued Byrne in 2023, alleging that Byrne lied in an interview by claiming that Biden solicited a bribe from Iran’s government in 2021. At the time, Biden’s father, Joe Biden, was US president. Byrne, a Donald Trump ally, had funded efforts to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. The lawsuit detailed that Byrne falsely claimed Hunter Biden offered to have his father “unfreeze” $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets and ensure the US would “go easy” on Iran during nuclear talks, in exchange for an $800 million bribe.
Judge's findings
In his order, Judge Wilson noted that Byrne had argued he did not act with “actual malice” and believed the statements were true because an Iranian official allegedly told him about the scheme. However, Wilson wrote that Byrne never claimed the official had direct contact with Biden, and failed to provide any documentary evidence that could make the story believable. The case was set for a jury trial in October, but Byrne “failed to appear” and fired his lead attorney, causing delays at Biden’s and the court’s expense.
Damages and sanctions
Wilson sanctioned Byrne by finding him in default, awarding Biden $1 in nominal damages and $1.7 million in punitive damages, plus $35,000 in court sanctions. Legal commentators noted that Byrne lost on procedural grounds rather than substantive ones, as no jury heard the case. Biden’s attorney, Bryan Sullivan, said on Saturday that they would “be back in court” if Byrne repeats the falsehoods.
Recent developments
The judgment came after President Joe Biden pardoned his son for federal gun and tax convictions, as his term ended and Trump prepared for a second presidency. Days before the award, Biden appeared on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, discussing how his Secret Service detail was canceled in March 2025 after influencer Laura Loomer shared a photo of him with his family in South Africa. Biden said they were in Cape Town because the Palisades wildfire prevented them from returning to their Malibu home. TMZ also reported that Biden had a recorded discussion with Maga influencer Nick Fuentes that “nearly came to blows”. Biden has been active on Substack and social media, covering politics, mental health, and addiction recovery.
