MIAMI, June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Internationally renowned pastor, speaker and author, Pastor Cash Luna, and Casa de Dios have filed a defamation lawsuit in Florida state court in Miami-Dade County against Univision and related defendants. Co-founded by Pastor Luna and his wife, Casa de Dios is an influential Christian church based in Guatemala and has one of the largest congregations in Latin America.
According to the Complaint:
Univision published false statements claiming that Pastor Luna was a close advisor to a convicted drug trafficker, accepted large sums of money from that person to build a new church for Casa de Dios, and engaged in money laundering. All of these statements are 100% false and highly defamatory.
Univision’s report relied almost entirely on the false statements of an admitted drug smuggler named Jorge Mauricio Herrera Bernal who served time in jail after being charged with attempted murder and false imprisonment, before being deported to Colombia. Bernal’s own criminal defense attorney stated in open court that Bernal was “delusional and paranoid” and a Florida judge entered a finding that Bernal appeared to be “not mentally competent.” These facts were publicly known at the time that Univision was relying upon Bernal’s false statements in its report about Pastor Luna and Casa de Dios.
Pastor Luna’s and Casa de Dios’ attorney, Charles J. Harder, states: “Pastor Luna has always been a crusader for morality, ethics and altruism, and against corruption. Univision’s false story has done great damage to his credibility and ability to create positive change in Guatemala. Pastor Luna and Casa de Dios will see this lawsuit through to the end, to ensure that truth prevails, and Univision is forced to meditate over its wrongful actions, and atone for them.”
A press conference will be held today at 11:30 A.M. EST at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse located at 73 W. Flagler Street in Miami, Florida.
A copy of the Complaint, with exhibits, can be found at www.harderllp.com/PastorLuna.
Pastor Luna and Casa de Dios are represented by attorneys:
Charles J. Harder and Ryan J. Stonerock of HARDER LLP in Los Angeles, California.
SOURCE Harder LLP
