Suit was filed this week in a Michigan federal district court in an unusual battle between a Catholic priest and rival podcasters. The complaint (full text) in Martins v. Romero, (ED MI, filed 11/17/2025), alleges in part:
1. This is a defamation and false light action stemming from false and misleading statements published on the Jesus 911 podcast on the November 20th, November 27th, and December 4th, 2024 episodes.
2. The Defendants intentionally or recklessly invited public critique and scrutiny over Plaintiff’s title as an exorcist by repeatedly asserting that the Plaintiff is not an exorcist. The Defendants’ statements have perpetuated a narrative that undermines the Plaintiff’s credibility....
43. The Exorcist Files is a podcast co-created and co-hosted by Ryan Bethea and Fr. Martins....
44. The Exorcist Files podcast aired its first episode on January 25, 2023, and currently streams on large podcast platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
45. Due to the popularity of the podcast, Fr. Martins published a book, also titled The Exorcist Files, where he provides a comprehensive view of the 2,000-year-old Catholic ministry of exorcism, examining spiritual dangers lurking in modern society, to help readers understand how to remain free from their influence and control. The Exorcist Files book was published on November 19, 2024, and its release was widely anticipated.
46. Upon information and belief, the Defendants had identified Fr. Martins as a competitor in the popular niche of exorcism themed television, radio, podcast, and books. They timed the release of their podcasts to destroy Fr. Martin’s reputation and to diminish the sales of Fr. Martins’ book....
[Thanks to Eugene Volokh via Religionlaw for the lead]