By Frankie Pressman with Richard Luthmann
Investigative journalist Richard Luthmann is fighting for his professional integrity and the broader protections of press freedom. TikTok influencer and self-styled "digital vigilante" Danesh Noshirvan, infamous for doxxing U.S. Supreme Court justices, served Luthmann with a subpoena at a federal courthouse in Fort Myers earlier this week. Luthmann described the subpoena as a “brazen attack on investigative journalism,” which has sparked outrage among press freedom advocates.
“This isn’t just about me,” Luthmann said on The Unknown Podcast, which he co-hosts with journalist Michael Volpe. “This is about safeguarding the First Amendment and ensuring journalists aren’t intimidated into silence by powerful figures like Danesh and his lawyer, Nick Chiapetta.”
A Subpoena Delivered with Theater
The legal drama began as court proceedings for a related case between plastic surgeon Dr. Ralph Garramone, his wife Jennifer Couture, and Noshirvan wrapped up before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle Dudek. Moments after the judge exited the courtroom, a process server handed Luthmann a subpoena orchestrated by Chiapetta, an attorney representing Noshirvan.
“This was not just procedural; it was an ambush,” Luthmann said. “It’s unethical to weaponize the courts to intimidate a journalist who is doing his job.”
The subpoena demands documents and communications related to Luthmann’s reporting on Noshirvan. Legal experts point out that such subpoenas must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which require exhausting other sources before targeting a journalist.
“This subpoena violates basic journalistic protections and serves no purpose other than harassment,” Luthmann explained.
The Battle of Cancel Culture and Doxxing
Luthmann’s investigative reporting has focused on Noshirvan’s history of social media harassment and digital vigilantism. Most notoriously, Noshirvan published the home addresses of conservative Supreme Court justices following the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. The doxxing incited protests, threats, and an assassination attempt on Justice Brett Kavanaugh, leading many to call for his prosecution under federal law.
“He’s a menace to public safety,” Luthmann said. “This goes beyond free speech—it’s reckless and dangerous.”
Noshirvan’s tactics are not limited to public officials. His campaigns have targeted private citizens like Jennifer Couture, whom he falsely portrayed as a wealthy aggressor in a selectively edited video.
Couture and her family faced relentless harassment, leading to reputational damage and financial losses exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Garramones have since filed a lawsuit against Noshirvan, claiming his actions were defamatory and intentionally harmful.
The Victims of Danesh
Luthmann’s reporting has exposed over 200 victims of Noshirvan’s harassment, from healthcare workers to grieving families. The case of Texas high school coach Aaron De La Torre, who took his own life after being targeted by one of Noshirvan’s campaigns, remains one of the most tragic examples.
“This isn’t journalism—it’s exploitation,” Luthmann said. “Danesh uses social media to destroy lives while profiting from the chaos.”
The cumulative effect of these attacks highlights a calculated effort to exploit social media for intimidation and personal gain, with devastating emotional, financial, and reputational consequences:
Aaron De La Torre:
A high school football coach in Texas, De La Torre became a target of one of Noshirvan’s campaigns after being falsely accused and smeared online. The barrage of harassment and threats that followed drove De La Torre to suicide, underscoring the lethal consequences of these digital attacks. This outlet broke the story that Noshirvan was under criminal investigation for his role in De La Torre’s death.
Nigel Ford:
After a minor traffic incident, Ford was labeled abusive and violent by Noshirvan, leading to an onslaught of harassment, including death threats. Despite Ford’s employer refusing to terminate him under public pressure, the harassment persists, fueled by Noshirvan’s allegations that the threats were fabricated.
Cortney Kotzian (OmahaOracle):
Kotzian faced harassment after declining help from Noshirvan, who alleged she was “stalking herself” while documenting her experiences with a former colleague. Noshirvan’s narrative dismissed concerns about her alleged stalker, a convicted child sexual assailant, and diverted attention from her advocacy against harassment.
Jennifer Couture and Garramone Plastic Surgery:
Noshirvan falsely portrayed Florida mother Jennifer Couture as an aggressor in a parking lot altercation, using selectively edited videos to incite harassment. This led to her family and her husband’s medical practice, Garramone Plastic Surgery, facing relentless abuse and threats, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue and significant security costs.
China Casarin:
Casarin became a target after discussing the harassment directed at Jen Welch, which culminated in Welch’s suicide attempt. Noshirvan accused Casarin of racism and predatory behavior, while impersonation accounts were created to harass her further. Her professional information was used maliciously, and reports to the Pennsylvania State Police have not yielded action.
KC Davis:
A licensed professional counselor, Davis was labeled a racist by Noshirvan after she described him as a “psychological terrorist.” Troll accounts, suspected to be connected to Noshirvan, flooded her platform, and he even threatened to report her to the Texas licensing board to revoke her therapy license.
Jen Welch (JenTheAdvocate):
Once an ally of Noshirvan, Welch became a target after their relationship soured. Facing compounded personal and professional challenges, Welch attempted suicide on December 31, 2021. Noshirvan dismissed the attempt as a hoax and launched a crowdfunding campaign threatening legal action against those discussing the incident, which never materialized.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno and State Prosecutor Amira Fox:
They found themselves targeted by Danesh Noshirvan’s disinformation campaigns and cancel culture mob, which weaponized social media to spread false narratives and manipulate public opinion. Noshirvan’s tactics included amplifying fabricated claims and rallying his massive following to inundate local government systems with harassment, forcing the wheels of justice to grind to a halt under the weight of bad-faith complaints. The manipulation of local institutions to serve his agenda highlights a troubling vulnerability in the justice system. It becomes even more alarming when paired with allegations that Noshirvan could be acting as an agent of a foreign enemy, raising questions about whether his campaigns are part of a broader effort to sow discord and undermine U.S. institutional integrity.
Katherine Fung:
Recently, the Newsweek journalist was inundated with harassment after Noshirvan accused her of collaborating with individuals he targeted. Following his accusations, her social media was flooded with hostile comments, forcing her to disable interaction features to protect herself from further abuse.
Healthcare Workers and Educators:
Noshirvan’s campaigns have also targeted professionals like Dr. Edith Del Mar Behr (Pennsylvania), Dr. Ryne Paulson (Wyoming), and educators such as Keshia Brinkerhoff (Wyoming). These individuals faced harassment ranging from threats to defamation, affecting their personal and professional lives.
Small Business Owners:
Businesses like Countryside BBQ and Paparoni’s Grill in South Carolina were not spared, as Noshirvan’s campaigns mobilized his followers to inundate them with negative reviews and harassment, damaging their livelihoods.
Noshirvan’s actions represent a dangerous abuse of digital platforms, underscoring the urgent need for accountability and systemic safeguards to protect individuals from such targeted harassment.
Scumbag Lawyer of the Week?
On The Unknown Podcast, Volpe called Chiapetta “Scumbag Lawyer of the Week” for orchestrating the subpoena. “This guy has no business in a courtroom,” Volpe said. “He’s enabling a client who thrives on cancel culture and harassment.”
Luthmann echoed these sentiments, accusing Chiapetta of misconduct. “This subpoena was served in bad faith,” he said. “I intend to file grievances and ask the court for sanctions. This is about accountability.”
Adding another layer of intrigue, Luthmann questioned whether Noshirvan is a “useful idiot” or an active participant in foreign influence campaigns.
“He’s on TikTok, a platform run by ByteDance, which has ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” Luthmann said. “There’s a real possibility that his actions are part of a broader effort to sow discord in the U.S.”
Next Steps in the Legal Fight
Luthmann has filed motions to quash the subpoena and seek a protective order. The court has yet to rule, but the journalist remains defiant.
“I won’t back down,” he said. “I’m fighting not just for myself but for every journalist who risks being silenced by bullies like Danesh.”
Luthmann’s commitment to press freedom is a rallying cry for journalists nationwide as the legal battle unfolds.
“This is a fight for the integrity of the press,” he said. “If we let these tactics succeed, we jeopardize the foundation of democracy.”
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