A jury has ordered social media star and musician Ryan Upchurch to pay $17.5 million in damages after finding him liable for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress on the family of Kiely Rodni, a teenager who died in August 2022.
The verdict, handed down on Monday, May 18 came after the grandfather and father of the late teen sued Upchurch in 2023.
Ryan Upchurch, known for his comedic character 'Upchurch the Redneck' and other beloved characters, built his name as an internet sensation before the courtroom drama.
He shifted his focus toward music in 2015, releasing his debut Country-Rap album About to Raise Hell.
The legal trouble stems from the tragic case of Kiely Rodni, a 16-year-old who disappeared from a party near Tahoe National Forest in California in August 2022.
Upchurch posted a YouTube video titled 'ZERO proof of Kiely Rodni situation being REAL,' suggesting the case was a 'scam' designed to raise money through a GoFundMe page.
The jury sided with the family, ordering Upchurch to pay Daniel Rodni $6.5 million and David Robertson $11 million, totaling to $17.5 million.
