Newsweek Responds to Latest Lawsuit in Ongoing Litigation by Olivet, IBT and Affiliates, with Statement from CEO Dev Pragad

NEW YORK, Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Federal and state courts, beginning in 2022 and continuing over multiple years, have repeatedly dismissed or rejected claims brought by Olivet University and affiliated entities, including IBT.

The claims targeted Newsweek, its reporting, its ownership structure, and its leadership, including its co-owner and Chief Executive Officer, Dev Pragad.

The latest filing, Newsweek said, repackages allegations that have already been reviewed by courts and rejected, without presenting any new factual or legal basis.

Courts have recognized and rejected repeated efforts by the same plaintiff interests to repackage previously dismissed claims under new captions or affiliated entities, declining to permit issues that have already been reviewed and resolved to be relitigated. Courts have also recognized that these actions extend beyond challenges to individual articles, instead targeting Newsweek’s leadership, governance, and operations as a whole, a strategy that has repeatedly failed under judicial scrutiny.

Newsweek stated that the lawsuits are part of an ongoing effort by Olivet and its affiliates to suppress Newsweek’s journalism through personal attacks on its leadership. Rehashing previously rejected claims under successive new filings, the company said, will not change outcomes.

Newsweek’s coverage has been grounded in verifiable public records, court filings, and regulatory materials addressing matters of public interest. The company has previously explained that its reporting on Olivet University and its leadership was undertaken because the matters involved issues of public interest and was based on publicly available court records, regulatory filings, and other verifiable sources, consistent with its editorial standards.

Coverage of Olivet and its affiliates will continue so long as the newsroom determines that there is a valid journalistic basis for it.

Dev Pragad, President and Chief Executive Officer of Newsweek, said:

“These lawsuits are not about Newsweek’s journalism, but an attempt to cover up legitimate coverage about Olivet and its affiliates. They reflect repeated attempts by the same plaintiff interests to relitigate allegations that courts have already rejected. Claims attacking our reporting, ownership, and operations have been dismissed time and again, and we are confident this latest filing will meet the same result."

Newsweek said it will vigorously defend against the claims while remaining focused on its mission of delivering independent, fact-based journalism.

Media Contact: media.inquiries@newsweek.com

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