Mark Ruffalo is a 9/11 truther. Gwyneth Paltrow has endorsed "medical conspiracy theories" through her wellness brand, Goop. Richard Belzer, who played Detective John Munch for 17 years on "Law and Order: SVU," shared the character's belief that the Kennedy assassination was a federal plot — and influenced his fans to think the same.
Far from being the only celebrities who believe in conspiracy theories, sharing misinformation with a large audience can change what viewers purchase, how they think, and even vote.
Belzer, who died Sunday, was of particularly notable influence, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. His long-term role as a sex crime detective lent him particular credibility to his fans, while he espoused anti-government theories through his multiple books, including one titled "UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have to Be Crazy to Believe."
"He's got a megaphone, no question about that," Robert Thompson, the director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at the Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University told SPLC. "And, as a mainstream actor, he enhances the credibility of someone like Alex Jones by appearing on...
Patricia White, 70, of Old Greenwich, received a nine-month prison sentence for submitting false claims for unclaimed properties to around 30 state treasuries. HARRISBURG, Pa. — Months after her br...