Antisemitic online trolls next in line after Seven settles defamation case
Benjamin Cohen is shifting his legal focus towards online trolls who wrongly targeted him as the Bondi Junction stabbing killer following a settlement reached in his defamation case against the Seven Network.
Rebel News understands Cohen's legal team, spearheaded by lawyer Patrick George, is eyeing individuals like Maram Susli, known as Syrian Girl, and Simeon Boikov, known as Aussie Cossack, for their involvement in spreading false accusations against Cohen.
Despite Queensland man Joel Cauchi being identified by police as the actual assailant, Cohen, 20, faced a barrage of antisemitic abuse after being erroneously linked to the crime.
Seven Network settles with falsely accused university student Benjamin Cohen for unknown amount pic.twitter.com/b3X0eLIb4w
— Ruby Cornish (@rubycornish) April 26, 2024
The settlement between Cohen and Seven Network, confirmed by both parties on Friday, remains confidential, including any monetary damages involved.
The defamation case stemmed from Cohen being wrongly named by Sunrise host Matt Shirvington during a pre-recorded package aired the day after the stabbing attack on April 13.
The error was further exacerbated when reporter Lucy McLeod repeated Cohen's name during a live-cross. Prior to the correction, Cohen's picture circulated on social media, fueling the spread by noted antisemitic accounts.
In a video statement addressing the ordeal, Cohen expressed his distress at being falsely accused on national broadcasts, highlighting the importance of fact-checking in media reporting.
He called out the Seven Network for using his name without verifying the information with the police or conducting an independent investigation.