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2w ago

Transgender Pilot Sues Influencer for Defamation Over False Crash Claims

Jo Ellis files lawsuit against Matt Wallace, alleging severe harm from viral misinformation falsely linking her to a deadly DC helicopter crash.

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Jo Ellis sued a right-wing social media influencer, alleging defamation after he spread false rumors she was involved in the Washington, D.C. plane crash in January. The transgender pilot had previously spoken out about fears that President Donald Trump's executive order banning transgender service members could impact her.
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Overview

  • Jo Ellis, a Virginia Army National Guard pilot, has filed a defamation lawsuit in Colorado federal court against influencer Matt Wallace for spreading false claims about her involvement in a January 29 crash that killed 67 people near Washington, DC.
  • Wallace, with over 2 million followers on X, falsely accused Ellis of intentionally causing the crash due to her 'depression' and 'Gender Dysphoria,' framing it as a 'trans terror attack.'
  • Ellis refuted the claims with a 'proof of life' video, confirming she was not involved and was alive, as all crash victims perished in the collision.
  • The lawsuit alleges Wallace’s posts, which included Ellis’s photo and went viral, resulted in transphobic hate, credible death threats, and forced Ellis to hire private security and relocate her family temporarily.
  • Ellis, represented by the Equality Legal Action Fund, seeks damages for reputational harm and plans to donate any awarded compensation to the families of the crash victims.