In a significant development in the ongoing legal battle between Zia Chishti, the founder and former CEO of Afiniti, and The Telegraph, the British newspaper issued a public apology on March 17, 2025, following a High Court ruling on a defamation case.
The case stemmed from a series of articles published by The Telegraph between November 2021 and February 2023, which reported on allegations made by former Afiniti employee Tatiana Spottiswoode to the United States Congress. In those reports, Spottiswoode accused Chishti of inappropriate conduct dating back to the early 2000s. Chishti has vehemently denied the accusations, which the court ultimately determined to be unsubstantiated.
The key allegation, according to the High Court, implied that Chishti had groomed Spottiswoode during her adolescence, eventually leading to a brief and abusive sexual relationship as adults. This accusation was central to Chishti’s libel claim against the newspaper. After careful examination, the court ruled that these claims were defamatory and harmful to Chishti’s reputation.
In a formal statement issued in open court, The Telegraph acknowledged its error, retracting the claims and apologizing for the harm caused to both Chishti and his family. Furthermore, the newspaper agreed to pay a significant sum in damages and contribute towards Chishti’s legal costs. This marks the end of the litigation between Chishti and The Telegraph, bringing closure to a highly publicized legal dispute.
The apology comes after a protracted legal process in which Chishti sought to refute the damaging allegations, including an attempt to present his side to the United States Congress, which was not granted. The settlement provides a public reversal of the previous reporting, allowing Chishti to reclaim his reputation after months of negative media coverage.
As part of the resolution, The Telegraph emphasized that it had acted in good faith at the time of publication, though it acknowledged that the story was not in the public interest as originally claimed. The case serves as a reminder of the potential impact of media coverage on individuals’ lives, particularly when such allegations are unproven and lead to reputational harm.
Chishti’s legal team expressed satisfaction with the outcome, underscoring the importance of defending one’s reputation against defamatory claims. This apology and settlement represent a rare instance of a high-profile media organization fully retracting allegations and compensating the individual involved.
