Fact Check: Did a journalist find millions of dollars in kickbacks linked to the Obama Foundation?
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that citizen journalist Nick Shirley found millions of dollars in kickbacks linked to the foundation of former President Barack Obama, sparking speculation and criticism against him.
Let us analyze the origins of the viral rumor and fact-check the claim's authenticity.
Claim: Nick Shirley found $17 million in kickbacks linked to Obama
According to a viral Facebook post, citizen journalist Nick Shirley and his team uncovered a direct link between approximately $17 million in kickbacks from contractors working on the Obama Presidential Center and an LLC allegedly owned by the Obama Foundation.
The post further claims that Shirley believes the former first family will walk away with an easy $70 million, plus another $20 million a year in income from admissions and merchandising. It also alleges that this does not include a 2,200-square-foot private penthouse they reportedly received for free on the top floor.
The claim has also been amplified on X, garnering hundreds of thousands of views.
Fact Check: The claim originated as a satire
The claim, however, is false, as there are no records of Shirley making such an explosive allegation against the former president.
A Google search using the keywords "Nick Shirley found kickbacks linked to Obama Foundation," "Obama Foundation kickbacks," and "$70 million Obama Presidential Center" yielded no relevant results from credible news outlets. Had the claim been true, it would likely have received widespread media coverage and made national headlines.
Moreover, the claim was first posted by a Facebook account called 'America's Last Line Of Defence,' which describes itself in its bio as "Nothing on this page is real."
Therefore, the claim originated as satire created for engagement purposes.
Michelle Obama urges Americans to stay engaged
During the opening ceremony of the Presidential Center, former first lady Michelle Obama repeatedly emphasized that the center was intended to serve a broader purpose.
She urged Americans to reject cynicism and continue participating in civic life.
“Hope is a choice,” she said. “Voting is a choice. Being a decent human being is a choice.”
She also warned against dismissing the experiences of people who are different from ourselves, saying that “failing to see the humanity in all people puts us all on a slippery slope.”
“Barack and I have always said that this center is grounded in our stories, but it has never been about us,” she said. “It's never been for us, and it's going to be here long after we're gone. So, what it becomes and how it's preserved, that work has to be done by all of us, just like our democracy.”
