The claim: CNN reported the death of 'Bernie Gores' in both Afghanistan and Ukraine
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, some social media users have claimed CNN lied about the wartime death of a fictitious man named "Bernie Gores."
They claim CNN first reported that Gores was a journalist executed by the Taliban in summer 2021. Then, they say, CNN reported Gores was an activist killed by Ukrainian separatists in February.
"Wow!! The same person that was 'executed' by the Taliban in Afghanistan- Is also the FiRST American casualty in the 'Ukraine Crisis.' See how that works," reads a Feb. 25 Facebook post. "CNN is the enemy of the people."
The post features what appear to be two Twitter posts side by side showing the same man. One appears to be a tweet from @CNNAfghan, dated Aug. 16, 2021. The caption says "Bernie Gores" was executed by the Taliban.
The second appears to be a tweet from @CNNUKR dated Feb. 23. The caption says "Gores" was killed by a mine in Ukraine.
However, CNN did not send either tweet.
Both @CNNAfghan and @CNNUKR are unverified Twitter accounts that have been suspended from the platform.
USA TODAY was unable to locate the tweets on CNN's verified account.
The claim was debunked by Reuters, FactCheck.org and AFP.
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USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the claim for comment.
CNN did not send tweets, claim recycled
"The posts are fabricated and are not affiliated with CNN in any way," CNN spokesperson Sydney Baldwin told USA TODAY in an email.
This is not the first time the purported CNN announcement of the death of "Bernie Gores" has proliferated on social media.
The @CNNAfghan tweet shown in the more recent posts originally circulated in 2021 and was debunked by Reuters and PolitiFact at the time.
Fact check roundup:What's true and what's false about the Russian invasion of Ukraine
The picture of "Bernie Gores" in the tweets can be found in a Wikitubia entry for a YouTuber, podcaster and gamer called Jordie Jordan.
Our rating: False
Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that CNN reported the death of "Bernie Gores" in both Afghanistan and Ukraine. The tweets pictured in the Facebook posts appear to have come from unverified accounts that have been suspended. CNN denied posting the tweets.
Our fact-check sources:
- Reuters, Feb. 26, Fact Check-CNN did not tweet that a journalist was killed in both Ukraine and Afghanistan, claims stem from imposter accounts
- Sydney Baldwin, March 4, Email exchange with USA TODAY
- PolitiFact, Aug. 17, 2021, Fake news accounts spread false information about journalists in Afghanistan
- FactCheck.org, Feb. 27, Bogus Tweet Spreads False Account of ‘First American Casualty’ in Ukraine
- AFP, March 1, Fake CNN tweet falsely reports first US casualty in Ukraine
- Wikitubia, accessed March 1, Jordie Jordan
- Reuters, Aug. 18, 2021, Fact Check-Fabricated story about a journalist killed in Kabul
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