Is a photo of Ivanka Trump and Melania Trump cuddling with Jeffrey Epstein and Brett Ratner authentic? No, that's not true: The image in the social media post is clearly labeled "satire," and the caption states it is satire. The image was created by an artificial intelligence tool, according to an AI-generated content detector. The claim appeared in a February…
Does a viral image on social media prove that Justice Department files show Jeffrey Epstein once wrote that Donald Trump calls "black girls" "boogers"? No, that's not true: Multiple searches across the Department of Justice website did not show such an email. The viral screenshot is unlikely to be authentic because it contains a reference to a domain registered months…
Did Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart host a "Freedom and Justice" TV show to discuss the death of Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre that reached one billion views globally? No, that's not true: There is no evidence such a show was ever broadcast. The website and Facebook pages spreading the claim are part of a spam network based in Vietnam that…
Does a real photo of Zohran Mamdani as a child with his mother Nora Nair and Jeffrey Epstein prove the new mayor of New York City is Epstein's illegitimate child? No, that's not true: The image, which includes Ghislaine Maxwell, former President Bill Clinton and Bill Gates, was made with an artificial intelligence tool. It originated on a parody account…
Did Karoline Leavitt say the Melania Trump movie sold more tickets than Star Wars? No, that's not true: The creator of the post stated that they made it up as satire. The White House press secretary did not say the movie about President Donald Trump's wife sold more tickets than Star Wars. The claim appeared as a February 1, 2026,…
Were Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein photographed with Mira Nair holding her baby son, Zohran Mamdani? No, that's not true: This image is fake and was posted on X by an account carrying a parody disclaimer. The fake image has a discreet DFF watermark from the account in the place of a monogram on Bill Clinton's shirt. The parody account's…
Do emails exchanged between Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein and made public in January 2026 show that Musk rejected Epstein's invitation to his private island? No, that's not true: Emails show Musk and Epstein planned holiday visits at the end of 2012 and 2013, but their schedules eventually did not align. Both men seemed eager to meet up on Epstein's…
Does the name of Mira Nair, the mother of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, appear in the Epstein files? Yes, that is true: Lead Stories located an email that mentions her appearance at an afterparty for one of her films. The event occurred in 2009. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on February 1, 2026. It…
Is there an email conversation between Jeffrey Epstein and Satoshi Nakamoto in the released "Epstein Files" that has Nakamoto telling Epstein to "Go fuck yourself"? No, that's not true: A search of the "Epstein library" for the phrase "Dear Jeffey" from a viral image showing the supposed email only returns a single result with a different document. Other details in…
Is there an email from Jeffrey Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell in the released "Epstein Files" that talks about project "Bitcoin" and "our little digital gold mine"? No, that's not true: A search of the released files does not bring up anything with the phrase from a viral image in it. However there are several real documents that do mention Satoshi…
Did police find encrypted messages on Alex Pretti's phone that showed the ICU nurse was a "key player" in coordinating a plan to create the chaos that led to him being shot to death by federal agents in Minneapolis? No, that's not true: Although an article claims that revelation is "sending shockwaves through the public," there is no credible reporting…
Does a document in the Epstein Files show he had a bank account named "Baal", a demonic figure? No, that's not true: One document that looks like a scanned in fax or document with bank transfer details has the words "Baal. name" in it on a line where one would typically expect to see "Bank Name", and it is followed…
Has a video interview of Alex Pretti talking about how he kicked out the taillight of an SUV used by federal agents emerged and sent "shockwaves through the public"? No, that's not true: No such video has been found. The quotes are all made up. The website and Facebook pages spreading the claim are part of a spam network based…
Was there an email thread with Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein discussing an "epic island vacation" included in the latest release from the "Epstein Files" as implied by a viral image? No, that's not true: No email with the phrase "epic island vacation" appears in the released documents. The phrase "deal withthis . thanyou" visible in the image doesn't appear…
Does a photo of an ICE agent show evidence he is wearing a gold bracelet he stole from a man in Minnesota? No, that's not true: While this photo of an ICE agent appears to be real. It does not provide any evidence that the agent is wearing stolen jewelry. The post includes no specific dates, places or references to…
Does a video show a Disney park character in a Minnie Mouse costume smoking and giving the middle finger during a break? No, that's not true: Videos online show this same man in the same suit standing on the Las Vegas Strip, where people are known to dress up as various characters and solicit tips from tourists. There is no…
Is a video that shows a man who is unhappy when his french fries are spilled in a McDonald's during an earthquake in Toronto real? No, that's not true: The short clip was created by an artificial intelligence tool, according to an AI-generated content detector. Implausible details in the scene like garbled text and a shape-shifting hamburger also indicate it…
Did U.S. President Donald Trump write on Truth Social that the documentary about his wife, Melania, will become mandatory in history classes, while calling her "Melanie"? No, that's not true: No such post could be found on his account. Lead Stories searched an archive of Trump's posts, which did not produce any evidence that the viral image showed a real…
Is a video showing ICE agents chase a man, who is sitting in an office chair covered by a large hand "giving the middle finger," down a Minneapolis street real? No, that's not true: The short video originated on social media accounts that acknowledge all of its content is AI-generated. There is no reporting, including on Fox 9, the Minneapolis…
You might have seen or heard rumors about ICE agents being deployed at the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy, to help provide security. The Lead Stories Rome office looked into what is actually happening, so you know what is going on if you see social media posts about it. Agents from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),…
