information as part of an AI-powered campaign that is increasingly aiming at the US election.
A major driving force behind it is a former Florida police officer who moved to Moscow.
If the report had been accurate, it would have been a shock.
The first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, is said to have paid 4.5 million euros ($4.8 million; £3.8 million) for a rare Bugatti Tourbillon sports car during a June visit to Paris for D-Day commemorations. The money was purportedly obtained through US military help.
A few days ago, the story surfaced on a little-known French website, but it was quickly disproved.
Specialists identified oddities on the invoice that was uploaded online.
The story’s whistleblower was only featured in a strangely manipulated, possibly synthetic video. Bugatti sharply denied it, labeling it “fake news,” and vowed to sue the authors of the fraudulent report through its dealership in Paris.
But before the truth could be revealed, the trick had already gone viral. Influencers had already started spreading the false story far and wide.
A link shared by Jackson Hinkle, an activist on X who backs Russia and Donald Trump, was viewed by more than 6.5 million users. A few more accounts helped the story reach a million people.
