Fact Check: Debunking the False Claim About Ukraine’s First Lady Buying a Bugatti with US Funds

A recent misinformation campaign falsely accused Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, of purchasing a new Bugatti Toron for €4.85 million with US taxpayer dollars. The story, which quickly spread across various languages and social media platforms, was based on an AI-generated video and a forged receipt. However, upon closer inspection and verification, both the video and the receipt were proven to be fabricated. The video featured a supposed Bugatti employee, but inconsistencies in appearance and speech, along with the lack of realistic details, raised immediate red flags. Furthermore, the receipt contained numerous errors, including a misspelled town name and the absence of mandatory details such as currency and VAT number. Bugatti has officially denounced the story as false and announced plans to file a complaint for forgery. Investigation revealed the origin of the fake news to a known pro-Russian network, part of a broader misinformation campaign.

• The misinformation claimed Olena Zelenska bought a Bugatti Toron for €4.85 million.
• An AI-generated video and a doctored receipt were used to spread the false story.
• The video featured a fictional Bugatti employee, showcasing noticeable inconsistencies and unrealistic details.
• The forged receipt lacked essential information such as currency and VAT number, and contained spelling errors.
• Bugatti officially refuted the claims, stating no employee by the name shown in the video works at the company and denounced the story as entirely false.
• The fake news originated from a French website known for spreading pro-Russian propaganda, identified as part of the “Operation False Facade” network.
• The misinformation aimed to discredit the Zelenskys by falsely accusing them of misusing Western financial aid.

France 24 is an international television network and news website owned by the French state.

Official website: https://www.france24.com/en/

Original video here.

This summary has been generated by AI.