A federal judge in Washington on September 2 dismissed a defamation suit by XRP-focused influencer Jake Claver against creator Zach Rector, finding Rector’s 2025 videos contained no actionably false statements and applying Washington’s anti-SLAPP law. The videos relied on Claver’s admissions in a separate Verivend lawsuit that he fabricated emails, wire transfer confirmations and a screenshot of a Verivend wallet showing a false balance of over $1 million and impersonated employees; the court dismissed claims without prejudice, awarded Rector attorneys’ fees, and gave Claver until September 23 to amend. The ruling is seen by the XRP community as a vindication that reinforces free speech, accountability and transparent reporting in the crypto space.

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A federal judge in Washington dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by XRP-focused influencer Jake Claver against content creator Zach Rector on September 2, ruling that Rector’s 2025 videos about Claver’s Digital Ascension Group and Digital Wealth Partners contained no actionably false statements.

What the Videos Referenced

The dismissed lawsuit, according to reports, centered on three videos Rector posted alleging misconduct tied to Claver’s businesses. According to court documents, the videos drew on Claver’s own admissions in a separate New York lawsuit filed by payments processor Verivend Inc., in which Claver acknowledged fabricating emails, wire transfer confirmations, and a screenshot of a “Verivend wallet dashboard” showing a false balance of over $1 million.

Court filings show Claver also admitted to impersonating Verivend employees on multiple occasions to generate fake email threads.

The Ruling

Judge Kymberly K. Evanson granted Rector’s motion under Washington’s Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, the state’s anti-SLAPP law designed to protect speech on matters of public concern. The court dismissed all of Claver’s claims, including defamation, tortious interference, conspiracy, and breach of contract, without prejudice, and ruled Rector is entitled to recover his attorneys’ fees and litigation costs. Claver has until September 23 to file an amended complaint.

Rector and the Community React

Rector confirmed the ruling directly, stating the court found no false statements in his videos and that Claver’s lawsuit had targeted his free speech rights on a matter of public interest. “The Court found no actionably false statement in my videos and ruled I’m entitled to recover my attorneys’ fees because Claver’s meritless suit targeted my free speech rights on a matter of public concern,” Rector said.

The ruling drew a strong reaction from members of the XRP community online, with several characterizing it as a clear-cut vindication of Rector’s reporting and a warning against using defamation claims to suppress criticism within the space.

Read the article at Coinpedia