Robert Maxwell and Mirror Group sue Seymour Hersh for libel

Robert Maxwell and Mirror Group sue Seymour Hersh for libel

In October 1991, media proprietor Robert Maxwell and his company Mirror Group Newspapers initiated libel proceedings in London against American journalist Seymour Hersh and publisher Faber and Faber over claims published in the book The Samson Option. The book alleged that Maxwell and Daily Mirror foreign editor Nicholas Davies had connections to Israeli intelligence, including Mossad.

Maxwell and Mirror Group denied the allegations and issued writs for libel against Hersh and his publisher. The legal action was filed in late October 1991. Maxwell died on November 5, 1991, after falling from his yacht near the Canary Islands while the case was pending.

Following Maxwell’s death, public discussion continued regarding his alleged ties to Israeli intelligence. No official confirmation was issued by the Israeli government or Mossad regarding agent status. The libel dispute concluded in 1994 when Mirror Group Newspapers settled with Hersh and Faber and Faber, paying damages and issuing an apology.

Robert Maxwell was the father of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted in the United States in 2021 on federal sex trafficking-related charges.