You can listen to this special edition of the DansDeals podcast on YouTube here, on YouTube Music here, on Spotify here, on Apple here, on Amazon Music here, or on 24Six here.
In September 2013, I started Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. Just a few weeks later, Dan stole me away and I started what’s been 12 awesome years working at DansDeals.
But, I still love law. I have served on a Florida Bar committee for years, and this past month, I got to participate in a massive case against CNN.
My brother-in-law (and DansDeals Forums member) Velvel Freedman got a perfect 180 on his LSAT, started his career at Boise Schiller & Flexner, scored the highest BAR admissions test in Florida, and more recently opened his own law firm, which now has over 25 lawyers.
A few years ago, he won a $100,000,000+ verdict in a Bitcoin case, which led Navy Veteran Zachary Young to call him about his own case. The case went to trial and has been covered by media outlets across the US.
Dan and I sat down with Velvel at his law firm in Miami last week to discuss his historic victory over CNN, with the jury awarding punitive damages for malice against Mr. Young. That’s the first such verdict against a mainstream media company in over half a century. The case was settled for a confidential figure before the jury settled on a number for punitive damages.
The trial took place in Panama City Beach, Florida, earlier this month over a two-week period. I flew up to help the team prepare the day before the trial, and thanks to media outlets streaming the trial, I was able to give live feedback and fact-check witness testimonies while the trial was happening.
MAZEL TOV to my brother-in-law @VelvelFreedman on winning a HUGE case against CNN for defaming his client Zachary Young.
From his incredible Kiddush Hashem leaving the courtroom early last week on Friday for Shabbos to his outstanding closing yesterday, he is an inspiration.… pic.twitter.com/7ImxLTDJ2s
— DansDeals (@DansDeals) January 17, 2025
The case was discussed on DDF here, with veteran member YitzyS calling Velvel’s closing arguments a masterpiece:
You can watch our Podcast below to learn more and enjoy what I thought was a fascinating coversation about the case. DDF members asked some great questions that we talked through, and there’s incredible insight into the mind of Velvel and how he won the case against CNN:
You can also listen on Spotify here, on Apple here, or on 24Six here.
You can also watch Megyn Kelly’s recent podcast with Velvel and Zachary here.
What subjects do you want to hear about on a DansDeals podcast in the future? Do you prefer shorter or longer form podcasts? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Leave a Reply
83 Comments On "How CNN Got Crushed By Velvel Freedman For Smearing Navy Veteran Zachary Young, A DansDeals Podcast Special"
All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.
Would love for the podcast to focus on CC and miles.
We shot an episode on those topics in December, but had some technical difficulties. Hopefully, we’ll get those up soon.
Frankly, I’d love to hear more discussions on topics on the fringes of what Dansdeals deals with.
This is a great topic, and continues to take Dansdeals out of the typecast of being exclusively points and credit cards obsessed.
We aren’t dealing with a couple of math nerds who have no life experience other than “beating the system”. The Dansdeals team is a well rounded, well traveled team with a lot of life experience worth hearing from.
Personally, I’d recommend staying away from the really hot button issues (politics, religion, inter-chassidus and inter-Klal Yisroel debates etc), but a little foray into these topics occasionally would probably be appreciated too.
Thanks for the feedback!
Always open to topic suggestions, clearly there are a lot of directions we can go with this.
Please offer a variety of topics but perhaps keep Points/Miles topics on their own episodes, and variety topics on their own episodes. Just like this current example. No need for somebody to listen to every single episode (unless they want to!). We are all intelligent enough to pick and choose based on your posts’ descriptions. After all, even with points and miles I will skip many episodes (Delta and United tend to be popular topics but they don’t fly anywhere I am trying to go… so I will probably skip spending time reading about their credit cards or miles).
Your topics are always fascinating to me. I would have never thought I cared about a podcast covering these topics and you always go into such depth that you draw me in. I also find that you cover stories that others tend to ignore.
TLDR: Keep it up!
Loved this. It felt like behind the scenes in a John Grisham novel. Even the placement of the trial in the Florida panhandle. So fascinating to hear all the details. I also loved the ending talking about how it’s Hashem who decides how much one is going to make. Thank you for this.
Glad you enjoyed!
We had a fun time with this one!
I’m here for Dans DEALS. Not Dans political opinions.
In an age where everyone is overloaded with politics – I’d like to visit a site where it has one strong (as advertised in your name) purpose.
There’s nothing political here.
A network was found guilty of defamation and malice. We discussed how that went down behind the scenes
I loved the podcast and am very happy to see CNN being held accountable, but I don’t think it’s 100% honest to say there’s nothing political. It was even Vel’s strategy to file where it is majority Republicans to rule against CNN (and yes I know it ended up being 3 and 3). Additionally, I doubt you would cover and produce a podcast if this was Fox news being held liable. Just saying. Again I love the website and hope you do more podcasts in the future! I’ve been a fan since my mother would buy me white shirts in the CTown Bochur days!
I don’t mean that his strategy wasn’t political, but I don’t see this podcast as political at all.
It’s just fascinating insight into the behind-the-scenes of a major trial and we had a lot of fun discussing it.
I’d certainly do the same thing for a major case against any company where I could get this level of insight.
But as long as we’re comparing them, personally, I think CNN is much better at covering breaking news and election results than Fox is, and they covered the 10/7 pogrom far better than Fox did. That doesn’t mean I agree with the politics of either, I can think on my own without needing a talking head telling me how to think. If it were up to me, there would be a completely non-political news station covering breaking news.
100% — If you ever find a news station, website, etc. that is completely non-political (or close to it), please let us know.
If Fox was sued by JJ’s brother in law…. Yeah. They would.
Let’s see your post when Fox settled for almost 900 hundred million dollars for lying to their viewers about the 2020 election.
Were they sued by JJ’s brother-in-law?
Did JJ give key advice to winning that case?
Did the case go to trial?
Did a jury award them punitive damages?
If those answers were yes, you can bet your bottom dollar we’d have been all over that as well.
I’m honestly baffled that this is hard to understand!
Fox admitted they lied to influence the 2020 election.
OK?
I watched the podcast last night, it was very informative. I loved the technicals!! Thanks so much, nothing political there.
The downfall of CNN, although not related to travel or “deals” is a non partisan topic. Years of spreading misinformation and a negative bias against Israel, I’m pleased that CNN is struggling with layoffs, loss of viewership, and shrinking market share. The podcast confirmed validity of CNN’s weakness. None of which is political Republican vs. Democrat.
Negative bias against Israel? Please post factual evidence, not your opinion.
You are correct. I don’t need right wing politics in every aspect of my life, including getting some bargains or “working the system” to get discounts. No follow up as to how many millions Fox Spews had to pay out after getting “crushed” multiple times? Hint: It was a hell of a lot more than $5 million.
1. Indeed it was, though it didn’t go to trial.
2. This case was settled for a lot more than $5 million.
3. What is interesting here is the access we had to the head lawyer for the plaintiff. It’s not a podcast without that.
Its funny to watch these democrats let there anger out on dan! Chill, they will survive to continue the fight to demoralize society!
Great podcast.
Two comments:
At 27:56 JJ says “I’m sure their egos a bruised”.
Notwithstanding my occasional name calling of the “Pravda Editorial Board”, I think JJ (and others, as evidenced by the responses and reactions to the November election loss) doesn’t properly understand and appreciate Bolshevik mindset. They have no regard for the truth or for human lives, that can only go along with the inability to have any shame, hence they don’t even know why you might suggest that their egos were bruised. They were valiantly doing there job, and were undermined by a bunch of redneck misfits.
At the end Velvel says “at the end of the day, it’s all [Hashem]”.
While that is a true statement, and the beauty of being self-employed, being able to see that in a very material way, it is not only “at the end of the day” but actually also at START OF EACH DAY. (Rabbi Stillerman who recently passed away was told that the Rebbe’s favorite “piece of Davening” is Modeh Ani at the beginning of each day).
Sounds like a description of Fox Spews (that has paid out tens of millions of dollars, OAN, and NewsNation.
Carl, we get it! You are a liberal and a democrat, who is getting triggered by a black eye experience about CNN. No one is trying to convert you, and at the same time no one finds it cute when it call it “Fox Spews”. Why you feel so triggered and defensive of a cable network news network is beyond my understanding. If I were investing in a network right now, I’d go all in on FNC- with their record viewership and increasing market share; all politics aside. You are still at free will to donate to Kamala for 2024 campaign, she still owes millions.
Davey, your excellent discernment is showing. I am a Goldwater Republican. I get it, you are a Trump cult member who gets triggered when presented with facts. No one not a cult member thinks it’s cute when your god king calls someone “Newscum” or “Crazy Hillary,” although his cultists think it is the epitome of wit and criticism. That you are triggered and feel compelled to defend a “news” network that spews propaganda I understand, because you belong to a cult that depends on it to tell you what your opinion is. You are free to “invest” in Trump trading card memes, Trump perfume, Trump treif steaks, Trump guitars, Trump Christian bibles, Trump watches et al ad nauseum, as he still needs more money from his suckers. They’ll all be worth nothing when the senile sicko drools on himself announcing he’s president for life, with Barron to succeed him, but enjoy the cult until he tells you to drink the Kool-Aid.
Voted for Chase Oliver, as I’ve always considered myself a Libertarian. You do seem very disregulated, with a strong distaste for folks who aren’t like me or you. Wow!
Give me a break… you’re clearly as MAGA addled as the others.
Masterful lawyering!
Bonus to see (during Megan Kelly’s podcast) a painting on his office wall of the Rebbe & Frierdiker Rebbe playing chess for all to see. Kiddush Hashem.
I would love an episode with shluchim in heimish vacation destinations on chabad houses, this is my comment from the 7 do’s & don’t article.
Excellent post! Gave me a lot of food for thought (I think this is one food item that chabad houses are well stocked on regardless of how remote the locations are…)
In general, how do shluchim feel about the idea in general, of frum families taking advantage of the meals (at full price + donations, of course) although the rebetzin breaks her back to cook up a storm thinking the guest are locals or students?
I spent shabbosim in multiple chabad centers without giving this too much thinking, Let’s say I decide to open a kiruv center and post online a link to join a shabos dinner for 36$ cooked by my wife. She wouldn’t be thriled if heimish family show up instead
On this topic, the only time we’ve gone to chabad meals is when the rabbis specifically invited us, and refused no for an answer. Happens to be it’s like that every time I visit a chabad house on vacation, they’re just that nice. We of course donate a sizable sum after the fact, but these guys (and obviously their wives) aren’t in it for the money, they’re know Hashem will provide, they see their mission as taking care of all yidden no matter their level of observance.
(We’re a frum family, last vacation had 10 adults and 2 kids btw)
Any way for those of us who can’t access those sites to listen to it?
You can’t access 24Six?
Megyn Kelly’s on 24Six??? 😛
I assume the question was for our podcast.
Good point. Yes, I can access it.
I could pay for a subscription to 24six. Unfortunately, your podcast is the only thing I’d want to listen to there.
You can watch through the app. It works without a browser.
Rather a shorter podcast that covers a topic in depth, than a longer one that toe-dips a whole bunch of topics, and leaves us with a full shopping cart of cliff-hangers.
(Not that I would have anything against a long podcast with an in-depth coverage of a topic… 😉 )
I come to this site when I do not want to see these things
Which things are you referring to specifically?
We would be happy to refund your subscription fee!
This is why we love Dan
can you post the Megyn Kelly’s recent podcast with Velvel and Zachary on this page to not have issues with filter
Great tool to download Youtube vidoes if you have it filtered https://www.mediamister.com/free-youtube-video-downloader
Ha my filter blocked this site
Great podcast! really enjoyed it!
I think possibly you could in the future show more clips etc. of what your discussing( i think you did do this twice but it was over an hour in) i think it would give the podcast more color
I can see that jj and his bil shop for shirts together!
Any recommendations on which pod to listen to first? DD or MK?
DD
Please upload it as a proper podcast to YouTube in the future so it can be listened to/watched in YouTube Music.
Learn something new every day.
Let me know if this works:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlrZMU-F4-gWvkHRl2_kqNBnp6dtx60KU
That was fast! Thanks!
Really enjoyed this, thanks!!
Glad you enjoyed, we had fun doing it!
Is there a URL to view the WHOLE trial (including initial punitive part), so far only able to find snippets that are sometimes truncated? Thanks.
https://www.youtube.com/@LawAndCrime/search?query=young%20cnn%20day
Available on Amazon Music as well.
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/819ba4e1-92e4-4d6c-ae82-50e1a8bdd5a0/episodes/c697c610-f340-4fa1-9cad-ccb73c5dd5ba/THE-DANSDEALS-PODCASTHOW-CNN-GOT-CRUSHED-BY-THIS-LAWYER-FOR-SMEARING-A-NAVY-VETERAN-DANSDEALS-PODCAST-SPECIAL?ref=dm_sh_oZXEfp0up7w4xXu1OIpdwIPiu
Thank you so much!! I can access it here.
The phrasing “CNN crushed” sounds like clickbait for a Fox News fan and is unfortunately the result of the taunting political style that craves attention and leaves the thoughtful discussions on the sidelines. (remember the exiled Bill Kristol?) I would stick to points and credit cards and only cover politics that is tangential to travel.
Thought the same thing… the title shows the bias, no matter how it’s defended after the fact.
I am sick of all the extreme left wing Jews defending a network which had people on who wanted kill all the Jews.
Dan
You may personally find this topic very interesting and you should feel free to delve into it on your personal time. You are presenting a travel related points and miles website and now you’ve chosen to delve into right wing politics relating to criticism of a liberal leaning television network. You are biased! Fox News paid Dominion vote voting $780 million due to their slanderous behavior following the 2020 election. Did you ever do a podcast on that topic? No, of course you didn’t. That’s showing your bias.
Now you’re jumping on CNN where they screwed up? My suggestion is if this topic is of interest to you, start a new website called “Media screwups” and cover both sides, not just one. I think you need to decide whether you’re a miles and points website or you’re going to be offering right wing political jabs at the liberal media.
Then in short this podcast and your justification for it are out of place on this website why would you delve into a topic that’s just going to cause derision among the readers when you didn’t need to
My recommendation is you strip this podcast from your website. By the way, whatever access you may have to whoever, there’s no justification for putting it in a miles and points website.
We have covered hundreds of news stories over the years. And this blog is hardly constrained to just points and miles, it’s been about things I find interesting for over 20 years.
We never had access to the head lawyer of a case of this magnitude before. I guarantee you that if JJ’s BIL was the lawyer on the Fox case, we would have covered it too. That case was also different than this, as it didn’t go to trial and have all the drama of a jury decision.
This podcast is not to my taste either, but the concept that Dan is somehow obliged to stick to miles and points on his own website and that if he wants to do something else he must do it on his “personal time” (as if you decide what is his business and what isn’t) is ridiculous. It’s his website. He can post miles and posts related stuff, political stuff, as far as I’m concerned he can post star trek fan fiction if that’s what he’s into (please don’t). For example, I’d assume that some of his readership who aren’t orthodox Jews don’t get much values out of the focus on flights to Israel and other Jewish/kosher related stuff. They don’t tell him to post that “on his personal time.” You don’t get to decide what he posts and what he doesn’t. Your decision is whether to use this website or not. That’s as far as it goes.
Your post keeps mentioning that “we” have access to a lawyer on a case of this magnitude and anything else never involved something that went to trial. None of this has anything to do with a miles and points website. Once again, you’ve delved into a topic you didn’t need to and are politicizing your website? What did you think you had to gain with this website by doing what you did by promoting this podcast? And once again, you might have a better justification if you start posting some of the silly things that the right-wing media has done in the past 10 years. But, what you really need to do is just get rid of this podcast?
Appreciate the feedback. Perhaps the video editor went a little click-baity on the title, but I don’t see the podcast as political. But we can agree to disagree.
Not trying to gain anything, other than share the background of a case we were involved in and found interesting. Which as I said, has been the MO of this site for over 20 years.
I am curious if you actually listened to it?
Chirp… Chirp…
@dan
I really appriciated it and would love to see more of such interesting schmoozes as well as your trip reports or your long lost news roundup.
However I do understand the ppl syaing that the content does not macth the site.
I feel it would be more apprroprite to mention it in a news roundup and link to DDF for the full segement and discusion.
Yes the site is youra and you are free to post and discuss whatever you like and no one is forcing anyone to come to your “free” site (and make/save money thru yourt hard work).
However, you would probably agree that the title of your site is Dans”Deals” and this is why ppl log on to the site.
Yes you have comantery here and there but the MO of the site is still deals, travel, points, etc.
To quote your own about-us section https://www.dansdeals.com/about-us/
“By reading DansDeals, you too can develop the skills to fly around the world with miles. Dan and JJ work around the clock to bring you the best deals on the web, including bargains on household items, electronics, flight deals, and more. The site is constantly buzzing with activity, bringing in 100,000+ daily views. Dan shares his knowledge of credit cards and points, airlines and miles, hotels, travel tips, and his take on all of the above.”
Yes i know you have the “more” in there but the site overall is based on and caters to something entirley different then the podcast contant.
Now, please keep those podcasts coming, I enjoyed it and gave up an hour plus of sleep late night yesterday to view it. I still think DDF is the proper place for this and only a refrence on the main site.
we can agree to disagree
kol hakoved, chazak vamotz. keep it up!
are those baccarat crystal cups?
Fascinating! Just listened to the first half during a drive. Hard to put it down when I got home. Look forward to listening to the second half next week. Please keep em coming despite the lashback.
I watched it in one shot, it was an excellent combination of informative and entertaining content. I would love to see more episodes in a similar interview format. What makes Dan’s deals special is not just the deals themselves, but also the style, passion, and everything surrounding them. That vibe makes everything you do enjoyable, regardless of the topic. Thank you!!!!
What a great podcast!
Please don’t worry about the backlash. This was an amazing podcast!
You have always been sharing things that are not strictly miles/points/travel related and I enjoy “Dans Commentary”.
I would say the biggest common denominator of all the topics you cover is that they are fun, interesting, and usually packed with lots of wisdom.
I really enjoyed this episode, and I hope to continue learning cool things from DansDeals.
If you post content that you want to post, that is genuine. If you only post content that other people want you to post, would mean you don’t have self respect or self confidence. I am glad I can count on DD to use their platform to spread important topics.
To all the people claiming DD has a bias and they would not do the same podcast about Fox News:
Where were you when DD was fundraising for tefillin? Why were you not complaining?! Well, of course you were not complaining. Because it was a beautiful thing! But it has nothing to do with CC points and travel. Ahh.. so you have a bias about what content DansDeals should post…
Thank you so much Dan and JJ and anyone else who runs this site behind the scenes. Stay strong!
Is there a way to listen to the podcasts on a phone line?
Great episode. As others mentioned, it was hard to stop in middle.
Definitely sounded like you guys had a a lot of fun recording.
I don’t believe Jake Tapper’s mother is Jewish according to Halacha though.
Keep it up!
Thanks, and we did!
Ah, that’s a shame. Didn’t realize that.
Amazing! Very well done. Extremely easy to listen to without any law background. Thank you for doing this. Really cool how JJ materially helped this case.
Glad you enjoyed, we did too!
Loved the podcast, was so easy and enjoyable to listen through.
Anyone who’s been following this site for more than a minute knows these kind of posts aren’t out of place. You find it interesting and share. With an added bonus of being related and actually taking part. Y’all are complaining about nonsense. Posts like these is what keeps your site awesome, unique and personable.
To Dan and JJ, it is clear y’all have what the left would call a “rightwing” bias (starting with unbashfull support for Israel).your “bias” comes across precisely because you don’t only solely post deals. No reason to hide behind it or deny. It’s clearly not you trying to be political and no one has a right to take offense. But I don’t think you can say it doesn’t influence some things you say. But anyways it shouldn’t matter!
The responses from liberals are case-point why Kamala largely lost this election. The “better than thou” attitudes, and intolerance for seeing a we’ll-constructed post about the occurrences a of TV network (which really shouldn’t be determined on a political spectrum, I thought CNN was “apolitical” to the left) really proves a struggle that liberals have. Correct, one who supports Israel will come across as a right-winger in today’s world. Dan and JJ, we appreciate your continued support of Israel, support of Judaism and the tefillin campaign, and your perspective on an interesting case towards CNN. Liberal haters will remain passionate with their ideas of the world.
can you tell us what website you used to track velvels wifes flight to see if it would take off or not?
Flightaware, flightradar24, and flightstats.
Note that it didn’t say it wouldn’t take off, I just crunched the numbers and figured that out myself.
thank you
Pet peeve with Flightaware, is that they don’t give you the Terminal # for tracked flights. In a big unfamiliar airport with many T’s, it can be a bit confusing and downright disruptive if you want to meet a flight and are using that app exclusively.
Hey, I like the Alaskan podcast