Judge Dismisses XRP Influencer's Defamation Suit, Awards Legal Fees

A defamation case brought by XRP influencer Jake Claver against Zach Rector was thrown out by a federal judge in Washington on September 2.

The court determined that videos Rector posted in 2025 concerning Claver's enterprises did not contain any false statements actionable under law.

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington granted my motion under Washington's Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, dismissing the existing lawsuit brought against me by Jake Claver. The Court found no actionably false statement in my videos and…

— Zach Rector (@ZachRector7) September 2, 2026

What Rector’s Videos Actually Referenced

According to posts on X, the now-dismissed case focused on three videos by Rector that alleged wrongdoing linked to Claver's Digital Ascension Group and Digital Wealth Partners. The videos relied on Claver's own admissions from a separate New York suit brought by payment processor Verivend Inc.

Court documents show Claver admitted to fabricating emails, wire transfer confirmations, and a screenshot of a Verivend wallet dashboard that displayed a false balance of more than $1 million.

Additionally, court filings reveal Jake Claver admitted to impersonating Verivend staff several times to create fake email threads.

Judge Kymberly K. Evanson approved Rector's motion under Washington's Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, the state's anti-SLAPP statute that shields speech on matters of public interest.

“We may not agree with each other sometimes, but for Jake Claver to sue Zach Rector, a fellow XRP community voice, turning price‑call criticism into a $30m federal fight, only to be told the speech was protected, reflects more on the plaintiff than on the videos…,” one user said on X.

All of Claver's claims—defamation, tortious interference, conspiracy, and breach of contract—were dismissed without prejudice. Evanson further ruled that Rector can recover his attorneys' fees and litigation costs. Claver has until September 23 to submit an amended complaint.

In his own confirmation of the ruling, Rector stated that the court identified no false statement in his videos and that he can recoup fees since Claver's lawsuit targeted his free speech on a public concern.

A Familiar Pattern in Crypto Defamation Cases

Such an outcome is not unprecedented in crypto defamation cases. In 2022, BitBoy Crypto founder Ben Armstrong filed a defamation suit against YouTuber Erling Mengshoel Jr., alias Atozy, regarding a video that accused Armstrong of promoting a failed token.

Armstrong dropped the lawsuit voluntarily within weeks after Atozy raised over $200,000 through crowdfunding for his defense amid growing public backlash. Unlike Claver's case, no court ruling was ever issued, leaving no legal precedent.

BitBoy suing "Atozy" for defamation due to Youtube videos calling him a scammer, Claiming damages in excess of $75k and emotional distress pic.twitter.com/6t45FXivjp

— db (@tier10k) August 16, 2022

Both cases nonetheless highlight a pattern in crypto: defamation claims against vocal critics have often failed to withstand public and legal scrutiny, typically concluding with withdrawal or dismissal rather than a plaintiff win.

The decision generated a strong response from the XRP community online, with many commentators describing it as a clear validation of Rector's reporting and a caution against employing defamation suits to stifle criticism.