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The following was written by PRM Consultant Tanya Castaneda.
Fact-checking website Snopes.com today released “The Grift Empire: How Max Polyakov His Financial Interest In International Web of Online Deception,” a five-part investigative series based on publicly available records from several countries. Well-reported and written over 18 months by journalist Alex Kasprack, this is a complex project from the Snopes investigative desk and a demonstration of the power of open source investigative methods and web forensics.
The series will be highlighted in Snopes social feeds for five days, with possible comments behind the report.
“The Grift Empire” uncovers previously unknown truths about Max Polyakov, a British-Ukrainian tech investor. Poliakov has been compared to US business titans Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos for his wealth. Incidentally, all three are interested in launching rockets into space. Snopes first reported on Polikov in 2020, investigating his venture capital firm Nosphere Ventures and his apparent ties to dating sites that use fake profiles to trick subscribers.
This series shows the enormous amount of money the wealthy have in questionable businesses. According to data not obtained by Snopes, everyday people are misled into signing up for subscriptions they don’t want, with expensive subscriptions deducted directly from their bank and credit card accounts. Some victims report that canceling subscriptions is almost impossible.
“This series shines a light on a global network of shell companies that swindle consumers out of their money — leaving vulnerable victims shocked to find they’ve signed up for expensive subscriptions,” said Snopes Editor-in-Chief/Managing Editor Doreen Marchionni. Our newsroom shares our open source reporting best practices with the journalism community to help others undertake similar efforts.
This is the latest in-depth reporting project from Snopes. Other recent investigations include an examination of ties between anti-lockdown protesters in Michigan and the Trump 2020 campaign. exposing the use of fake Facebook profiles by media associated with the Epoch Times; and publicizing the connection between evangelical activists and racist Facebook campaigns.
Based on the collection, research and analysis of publicly available online records, “The Grift Empire” shows how Snopes is pioneering open source news investigations based on journalism – examining non-US records in countries such as Ukraine, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Hong Kong and and others. Open source investigations rely on data and information available to the general public.
“Snopes has provided significant input to this project because it aligns with our core mission of exposing deception by using new methods to uncover the truth,” Marchoni said. “Amid industry challenges, I’m proud that Snopes continues to invest in our newsroom and advance advanced research and fact-checking methods.”
Snopes was one of the first news outlets to use open-source news investigations to document and report what Facebook calls “integrated inaccurate behavior,” or CIB, on social media. CIB tries to mislead people about who they are and what they are doing by including account groups and pages like Facebook to manipulate public opinion or public debate.
About Snopes Media Group
Snopes Media Group is the Internet’s source of fact-checking. When misinformation obscures the truth and readers don’t know what to believe, Snopes’ fact-checking and original, investigative reporting light the way with evidence-based and contextual analysis. We always link and document our sources so that readers are empowered to act independently. Research and make up your own mind.
Snopes began in 1994 by investigating urban legends, hoaxes and legends. As demand for reliable fact checks grows, so does Snopes. It is the oldest and best-known online fact-checking site, now considered an invaluable research companion by journalists, folklorists and readers alike.
Snopes.com is an independent publication owned by Snopes Media Group. Browse our FAQ To learn more about us or consider Become a member of Snopes. If you have any questions, please Let us know.
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