Claim: USAID Paid Hollywood Actors to Visit Ukraine
TL;DR:
- A fabricated video claiming USAID paid millions to actors for visits to Ukraine has been shared widely.
- E! News, the purported source of the video, has confirmed its inauthenticity.
- Experts say the video is part of a Russian-aligned disinformation campaign.
Details:
A Facebook post containing a video that appeared to be a news report from E! News circulated online, claiming that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) paid Hollywood actors to visit Ukraine. The video displayed the E! News logo and voiceover narration, alleging payments ranging from $1.5 million to $20 million to actors such as Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn, and Orlando Bloom.
However, the video has been debunked as a fabrication. An E! News spokesperson confirmed that the video is not genuine and was not published by the outlet.
Counterclaims:
- Angelina Bloom denied the payment claim, stating that his trip to Ukraine was "completely self-funded."
- Sean Penn’s lawyer stated that Penn’s travel was also self-funded.
- A representative for Angelina Jolie denied the payment claim, stating that Jolie covers the costs of her humanitarian missions personally.
Analysis:
Disinformation experts believe the video is part of a Russian-aligned disinformation campaign, known as the "Matryoshka" campaign. This campaign mimics authentic news outlets, uses AI voiceover, and targets Ukraine.
The video first emerged on Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform popular among Russian state-aligned actors. It was shared on Russian state media and pro-Russian Telegram channels around the same time. This pattern is consistent with Russian disinformation tactics.
Implications:
The fabricated video attempts to discredit USAID, which has been targeted for potential dismantling by Elon Musk. It also aims to undermine U.S. support for Ukraine by linking it to Hollywood celebrities.
Verification:
- E! News confirmed the video’s inauthenticity.
- Actors named in the video denied the payment allegations.
- Disinformation experts identified the video as part of a Russian-aligned campaign.
- Fact-checking organizations such as AFP, Lead Stories, and PolitiFact have also debunked the claim.
Conclusion:
The video claiming that USAID paid Hollywood actors to visit Ukraine is a fabricated piece of disinformation, not a genuine news report from E! News. It is part of an ongoing Russian-aligned campaign that aims to discredit USAID and undermine U.S. support for Ukraine.
