In a gripping legal battle unfolding in California, an individual is taking a stand against what he claims is a malicious defamation campaign aimed at tarnishing his reputation and career. Zhisong Chen, also known as John Chen, filed a complaint on April 23, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The lawsuit targets two unknown defendants operating under pseudonyms "Mack Zhang" and "ZH Mack," who are accused of orchestrating a smear campaign against Chen.
The case centers around allegations that the defendants published false and defamatory statements about Chen on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and through emails sent to executives at Qualcomm, where Chen was formerly employed as Vice President. According to the complaint, these communications falsely accused Chen of engaging in an extramarital affair with a young woman associated with Qualcomm's outsourcing partner, Rivotek. The accusations suggest that this alleged relationship led to preferential treatment for Rivotek and harm to Qualcomm's interests.
Chen asserts that these defamatory statements have caused significant damage to his personal and professional life. He claims the falsehoods were crafted with malice and intended to injure his reputation and business interests. The complaint details how these statements have led to emotional distress, including anxiety and depression, as well as economic losses due to the impact on his career.
In response to these damaging allegations, Chen is seeking several forms of relief from the court. He requests actual and compensatory damages exceeding $35,000 for the harm suffered. Additionally, he seeks punitive damages under Civil Code section 3294 due to the malicious nature of the defendants' actions. Chen also asks for injunctive relief prohibiting further defamatory publications by the defendants and demanding removal of existing defamatory content from all platforms.
The legal team representing Zhisong Chen includes attorneys Jeffrey M. Rosenfeld and Leah Rosa Vulić from Kronenberger Rosenfeld LLP. The case has been assigned Case No. CGC-25-624705 in the Superior Court of California.