Former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz and current Texas Congressman Lance Gooden face a new federal civil suit in Dallas County following allegations that they publicly defamed a local philanthropist during a national cable broadcast.

The lawsuit, filed by Dallas resident Mark Patrick, stems from a March 2026 episode of “The Matt Gaetz Show” on the One America News Network (OANN). During the segment, hosts branded Patrick a “fraudster,” “criminal,” and “confidence man,” accusing him of orchestrating a $270 million charity scam that personally enriched him at the expense of non-profit organizations like the DFW Charitable Foundation.

Court Cleared Philanthropist Prior to On-Air Allegations

According to court filings, the televised accusations targeted Patrick despite a prior judicial ruling clearing him of financial wrongdoing.

The initial dispute originated from a 2025 case involving the movement of funds out of a Cayman Islands charitable foundation. Patrick maintained the transfer was necessary to safeguard non-profit assets from an unauthorized third party. One month before the OANN broadcast aired, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands ruled in Patrick’s favor, determining there was no legitimate risk to the funds and “no serious issue to be tried.”

The federal complaint highlights that because the judicial clearance occurred weeks before the broadcast, the defendants had ample opportunity to verify that Patrick faced no active criminal charges or convictions.

Safety Concerns and Personal Distress

Beyond reputation damage, the legal filing outlines severe personal fallout for Patrick. The broadcast identified him as a Dallas resident and displayed his photograph on air. Shortly after, Patrick contacted local law enforcement to investigate suspected tampering with his personal vehicle.

The lawsuit asserts the segment caused Patrick “shame, embarrassment, humiliation and severe mental pain and anguish,” while directly disrupting his organization’s philanthropic work.

Background on the Defendants

Gaetz, who represented Florida in Congress from 2017 to 2024, stepped down following his nomination for U.S. Attorney General under President Donald Trump. He subsequently withdrew his candidacy amid intense Senate confirmation prospects and a House Ethics Committee probe into personal misconduct allegations. Late in 2024, he transitioned to hosting his prime-time commentary show on OANN.

Representative Gooden, a four-term Republican representing Texas’s 5th Congressional District (including parts of Dallas County), appeared in a pre-recorded interview during the controversial segment. Gooden is currently facing a separate inquiry by the House Ethics Committee, which he recently characterized on Fox News as “bogus spending allegations.”