Category Corruption

Fake story about death of Burisma ‘whistleblower’ started on site known for misinformation

PolitiFact found nothing to substantiate claims that a Burisma accountant was "found dead" before she could provide incriminating evidence on the Biden family. We traced this viral headline to a site known for publishing misinformation. The narrative appears to have stemmed from an unclear comment made by Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's former attorney.
Read MoreFake story about death of Burisma ‘whistleblower’ started on site known for misinformation

FBI director didn’t confirm Joe Biden bribery investigation

Claim: "FBI director Wray confirms Joe Biden is under criminal investigation for Ukrainian bribes by the U.S. attorney in Delaware then tries to backpedal." Verdict: FBI director didn't confirm Joe Biden bribery investigation. There is a continuing investigation in Delaware into Hunter Biden, the president's son. Wray did not say that Joe Biden is also being investigated. He said he would not say who is or isn't being investigated, or for what, as part of the FBI's long-standing policy.
Read MoreFBI director didn’t confirm Joe Biden bribery investigation

FACT CHECK: Post Claims To Show French Villa Bought By Ukraine Defense Minister | Check Your Fact

A video shared on X, the website formerly known as Twitter, claims to show a French villa that was bought by Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleskii Reznikov for his daughter. Verdict: False There is no evidence that Reznikov bought this house.
Read MoreFACT CHECK: Post Claims To Show French Villa Bought By Ukraine Defense Minister | Check Your Fact

Is This a Real Photograph of Zelenskyy’s Home? | Snopes.com

The above photograph does not show Zelenskyy's home. Using Google's reverse-image search tool, we found the same photograph on a number of real estate websites showing luxury properties in France and Monaco. Given that the author of the original tweet pulled the photo from real estate profiles of a house in France, without providing any evidence of its ownership, we rate this photograph as "Miscaptioned."
Read MoreIs This a Real Photograph of Zelenskyy’s Home? | Snopes.com

No, Zelensky didn’t buy a mansion belonging to the British royal family

Did the Ukrainian president embezzle Western aid money to buy Highgrove House, the family residence of King Charles III? No, but pro-Russian social media accounts have been spreading that rumour. They want people in the United States and Europe to question how aid being sent to Ukraine is being used ahead of upcoming elections. However, this rumour is based on fake testimony and, what's more, this sale is legally impossible.
Read MoreNo, Zelensky didn’t buy a mansion belonging to the British royal family

Zelenskyy and Wife Photographed with Stacks of Money? | Snopes.com

Because the photograph was digitally edited to include Zelenskyy and Zelenska, we have rated this claim as "Fake." The TinEye reverse-image search tool showed that the original photograph [with stacks of money] depicted Floyd Mayweather, a former professional boxer.
Read MoreZelenskyy and Wife Photographed with Stacks of Money? | Snopes.com

DISINFORMATION ABOUT ZELENSKYY BUYING A £150 MILLION VILLA IN CYPRUS

The information about the purchase of a hotel is disinformation. The President of Cyprus, the Ukrainian Embassy in Cyprus, and the company that owns the hotel have denied the allegation about the purchase of the hotel by Zelenskyy or a related company. Moreover, the website on which the allegation about Zelenskyy's connection to the hotel appeared turned out to be a clone of the hotel's website and a fake website that was created three days before the information was spread.
Read MoreDISINFORMATION ABOUT ZELENSKYY BUYING A £150 MILLION VILLA IN CYPRUS

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy Bought a Casino in Cyprus?

The claim that Zelenskyy purchased a casino in Cyprus is belied by the fact that the owners of that casino say they have not sold it, by the fact that the original reporting on the claim was based on a fake website, and by the fact that this original reporting was deleted. Because no real evidence supports the claim, Snopes rates it "False."
Read MoreUkraine’s President Zelenskyy Bought a Casino in Cyprus?

Fact Check: Orban Did NOT Tell Zelenskyy In Argentina: ‘Putin Knows Something Special About Me’ | Lead Stories

Did Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban tell Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the inauguration of Javier Milei as Argentina's new president, that Russian President Vladimir Putin knew something "special" about him? No, that's not true: Orban and Zelenskyy exchanged a few words in front of cameras during the ceremony, as shown by footage shared by major international media. Their conversation, though, cannot be heard. According to the Hungarian Prime Minister's press office and a post on X by Zelenskyy, the two leaders discussed European affairs. [...] The video is dubbed: The words spoken in the TikTok audio don't match the movement of Orban's lips as shown in the footage.
Read MoreFact Check: Orban Did NOT Tell Zelenskyy In Argentina: ‘Putin Knows Something Special About Me’ | Lead Stories