Svetlana Lokhova sued Stefan Halper and news organizations, alleging defamation, conspiracy, and tortious interference: that Halper was the source for stories tying her to Michael Flynn as a Russian agent or romantic interest. Epoch Times covered those allegations, including a piece titled that an FBI informant “fed media lies to smear Flynn.” That headline is an allegation in a lawsuit. It is not a finding of liability.
The Eastern District of Virginia dismissed the first action (Lokhova I). The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed (No. 20-1437): most defamation claims were time-barred; remaining statements were not defamatory as a matter of law or were inadequately pleaded; derivative conspiracy and interference claims fell with them. A second action drew Rule 11 sanctions in the district court; the Fourth Circuit later reversed the sanctions and remanded (No. 21-1655, 5 Apr 2022), holding that the second complaint was not frivolous. Read the opinions. Do not announce a smear verdict. Do not announce that the second case “proved” a lie to the FBI. A judge’s hearing comment, as Epoch Times later reported, is not a final judgment.
Gateway Pundit treated the Flynn/Lokhova story as settled misconduct. That is commentary. It is not this site’s Fact band.