“Smallville” actor Allison Mack is under indictment on sex trafficking charges, but a story being shared online falsely connects the criminal case to Bill and Hillary Clinton and the Rothschild banking family.
The article on nyeveningnews and other sites declares that Mack “confessed that she sold children to the Rothschilds and Clintons during her time in the child sex cult.” The story combines falsehoods with information from Mack’s actual legal case.
Mack was charged last month after federal prosecutors in New York said she recruited women to a group led by Keith Raniere, who sold himself as a self-improvement guru to the stars. Mack pleaded not guilty, is free on $5 million bond and under home detention in California. Raniere also is being held on trafficking charges, and his attorneys say he’s innocent.
The alleged Clinton connection in the story is based on something that isn’t true. It claims that Seagram’s liquor fortune heiresses Clare and Sara Bronfman, who are followers of Raniere, are members of Bill Clinton’s foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative, which requires a $15,000 membership fee. A spokesman for the foundation tells The Associated Press they haven’t donated any money or made a required “commitment to action” to the Global Initiative.
Mack’s indictment and a press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York make no mention of the Clintons, the Rothschilds or child victims.
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This is part of The Associated Press’ ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform.
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Find all AP Fact Checks here: https://www.apnews.com/tag/APFactCheck
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Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
This is part of The Associated Press’ ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform.
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