Help Defend Press Freedom: My Legal Defense Fund

For the past three years, many of you have followed and supported my investigative reporting on the case of Cassandra Fameux's allegations of poisoning by her anesthesiologist now ex-husband  Dr. Paul Gregory St. Claire formerly of the University of Michigan Health Sparrow.

Today, I need your help.

As many of you know, Dr. St. Claire sued me and Black Star News for defamation even after admitting to what I reported. 

When the Ingham County 30th Judicial Circuit Court in Lansing, Michigan, scheduled a jury trial for July 20, 2026, before Judge Morgan Cole, I welcomed it. I have always believed this case should be decided by a jury—not by a procedural technicality and that Dr. St. Claire's motive is to silence my journalism.

I'm based in New York City and I published several stories. Not a single media outlet in Lansing, MI, has published a story about Ms. Fameux.  Dr. St. Claire's lawsuit probably had something to do with it. 

A jury--just like readers--should examine the evidence, hear the witnesses, and decide whether my reporting was responsible and supported by the facts. 

Instead, the court entered a default judgment against me in favor of Dr. St. Claire after my discovery responses were filed two days late—June 26 instead of the June 24 deadline. My response was late because I discovered that several e-mail messages demanded in discovery, ones I exchanged with Dr. St. Claire's divorce attorney Jessica Larson and defamation attorney Chris Newberg had all been deleted. 

I have retained new  counsel and will fight to ensure that this case is decided by a jury  on its merits.

My reporting was based on medical records, court filings, sworn testimony, police investigative reports, interviews, and audio recordings.

Among the facts I reported:

The Meridian Township Police later investigated Ms. Fameux's allegations--that I earlier reported -- that Dr. St. Claire had poisoned her with antipsychotic drugs from 2014-2023 and, on April 10, 2025, recommended criminal domestic assault charges against Dr. St. Claire. The DA did not authorize an arrest warrant. His alleged motive was to get her to sign a Judgment of Separate Maintenance (JOSM) while she was under the influence of the drugs that transferred all marital assets--millions of dollars and two homes--to him.

Three psychiatrists ultimately concluded that Ms. Fameux did not suffer from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and one of them Dr. Rita Aouad testified in her divorce trial that she suffered from severe PTSD from the marriage. The drugs administered by Dr. St. Claire and a colleague Dr. Dominic Barberio were meant to treat schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Dr. St. Claire claimed I defamed him by reporting that he was having an affair with a married nurse at the university hospital during the period his wife alleged he was drugging her, even though I mentioned that I had reviewed video evidence which I also provided to my previous counsel in my answer to Dr. St. Claire's amended complaint.

Medical records, court testimony, and other public documents raised serious questions that deserved public scrutiny.

Dr. St. Claire acknowledged under oath that he lost his position at University of Michigan Health Sparrow after allegations involving access to his wife's medical records.

Most importantly, Cassandra Fameux has repeatedly told me that my reporting saved her life. Those words have stayed with me throughout this difficult journey.

They remind me why investigative journalism matters and why I cannot walk away from this fight to expose alleged wrongdoing. 

In November 2025, my reporting also exposed the apparent involvement of a judge, Carol N. Koenig, together with Dr. St. Claire himself and his divorce lawyer Ms. Larson in fabricating evidence to sustain the JOSM which financially favors Dr. St. Claire.

I reported this matter to local, state and Federal law enforcement.

I don't know whether it was related to my November expose but six months later, on May 12, 2026 I reported that Ms. Larson had parted ways with her law firm, Lansing-based Mallory Lapka Scott and Selin.  Then on May 23, 2026, I reported that the entire law firm where Larson had worked for over a decade shut down. 

Judge Koenig--whose apparent involvement in the court fraud I wrote about in November and also reported to the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission--remains a sitting judge in the same Ingham County court where the defamation case against me is being heard by another judge and where Dr. St. Claire was just granted a default. 

The issues at stake go far beyond me.

If journalists can lose their day in court because of a procedural deadline rather than having the evidence heard by a jury, it threatens the principles of due process and the First Amendment.

Many of you have supported the "Justice for Cassandra" campaign because you've found the evidence I reference or publish to be credible.

As I've mentioned, while preparing my discovery responses, I also discovered that years of email correspondence relating to this case had disappeared from my Gmail account. I immediately reported the apparent criminal breach to the FBI on June 22, and June 26, 2026 and the New York Police Department on June 29, 2026  because those missing records directly affected my ability to prepare my defense.

I asked my former lawyer to inform Judge Cole hoping for expanded time. That did not happen. 

This legal battle is far from over.

Appeals are expensive. I must travel repeatedly to Michigan, retain experienced appellate counsel, pay filing fees, obtain transcripts, and continue defending Black Star News against a lawsuit that I believe should be decided on the evidence.

If you have supported my reporting over the past three years, I am asking you to stand with me once again.

Your contribution to my legal defense fund will help ensure that this fight continues—not just for me, but for the principle that investigative journalism should be judged on the facts and that truth belongs before a jury.

Every contribution, no matter the amount, makes a difference. Those of you who haven't followed the reporting, I invite you to read the articles whose links appear above.

Thank you for believing in independent journalism and for standing with Black Star News.

— Milton Allimadi

Publisher & CEO, Black Star News

I'm also providing my e-mail contact in case there's an attempt to interfere with 

this campaign. 

Mallimadi@gmail.com