The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it no shortage of rumors about vaccine manufacturer Pfizer and its employees.
The most recent iteration is a claim that federal agents arrested Pfizer’s executive vice president, Rady Johnson, on suspicion of fraud.
A version of the claim from the website Best News Here received more than 200 shares in two days. The claim also spread widely across Facebook and Twitter.
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But this never happened.
Pfizer has said the claim is untrue, and no reputable news outlets have reported that Johnson was arrested.
The claim originates from Vancouver Times, which states on its website that “we write satirical stories about issues that affect conservatives.”
The story says Johnson was arrested at his home and that a judge granted a media blackout request from his lawyers. It also includes false claims about deaths caused by the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Though Best News Here referenced Vancouver Times in its report, it did not note its satirical origin, prompting some social media users to share the claim as fact.
"Yep, so many are being arrested behind the scenes, those who are in the know know what's happening, change is coming! Be ready!!!" read one Facebook comment.
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