Fox News sued for $1.6 billion over 2020 US election fraud claims

A voting equipment manufacturing company in the United States has slapped a $1.6bn defamation lawsuit against Fox News, claiming the network promoted baseless claims of vote-rigging.

Dominion Voting Systems is one of the largest manufacturers of voting equipment in the US. Its machines were used by at least 28 states in last November's election.

Conservatives and pro-Trump groups had claimed last year that the US company had altered its voting machines to deny re-election to Donald Trump. The lawsuit argues that Fox News, hosted guests touting anti-Dominion conspiracy theories during the 2020 election, and "recklessly disregarded the truth" because "the lies were good for Fox's business".

Fox News said the case is baseless and it would fight the lawsuit in court. Fox News Media added that it was proud of its 2020 election coverage, which stands in the highest tradition of American journalism.

There is no evidence for widespread voting fraud in the presidential election. The fraud argument has been refuted by courts across the US.