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New Jersey Judge Orders Trevor Milton to Pay $581,000 in Fees to CNBC and Hindenburg
A New Jersey judge directed Trevor Milton to reimburse CNBC and Hindenburg Research for attorneys' fees and costs after his defamation lawsuit was dismissed. The order follows a December 2025 appellate ruling that found the suit untimely under state law.
Jul 20, 6:50 PM·1m read2 sources
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A New Jersey judge ordered Trevor Milton to pay CNBC $286,087 in attorneys' fees and litigation expenses. The same order requires Milton to pay Hindenburg Research $270,475 in fees, $14,053 in costs and $10,992 in other fees, for a combined total of $581,607. @zerohedge reported that the court order was made available on Monday.
Milton's lawsuit against CNBC and Hindenburg had been dismissed with prejudice in December after a unanimous New Jersey appellate panel ruled that the claims were filed too late. The appellate panel rejected Milton's attempt to reframe the allegations as trade libel rather than defamation.
It held that the statements concerned Milton's personal credibility and conduct, not a product, and therefore fell under New Jersey's one-year statute of limitations.
The panel directed the trial court to award attorneys' fees under the state's anti-SLAPP law. Milton had sued CNBC, Nathan Anderson and Hindenburg over reporting tied to Nikola's collapse. Milton was indicted in 2021 on securities fraud and wire fraud charges and convicted in 2022 for misleading investors about Nikola's technology and business progress.
He later received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. The pardon erased the criminal conviction but left the civil lawsuit unaffected.
