Ryan Upchurch, a YouTuber based in Nashville, Tennessee, has been ordered to pay £13.7 million (approximately $17.5 million) for defaming the family of Kiely Rodni, a 16-year-old girl whose tragic death he falsely claimed was a scam. The lawsuit was initiated by Kiely's father and grandfather after Upchurch posted videos questioning the authenticity of her disappearance and suggesting that her family was involved in a scheme to profit from her death through a GoFundMe campaign. Kiely went missing in early August 2022 after attending a party near Prosser Family Campgrounds in California, and her body was later found in Prosser Lake. The Nevada County Sheriff's Office ruled her death an accident. In his controversial video titled 'ZERO proof of Kiely Rodni situation being REAL,' Upchurch demanded proof that Kiely's death was real, leading to widespread outrage. The Rodni family claimed that Upchurch's allegations caused them profound emotional distress and damaged their reputation during an already painful time. After the ruling, Upchurch's legal team stated that he wished to express sympathy to the family while emphasizing the importance of free speech.