Fact Check: Is Putin seeking to extradite Dr Fauci to Russia over alleged crimes against humanity?

WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking the extradition of Dr Anthony Fauci to Russia over alleged COVID-era crimes against humanity. The claim has sparked criticism of Fauci, with many calling for a fact-check.

Claim: Vladimir Putin sought Dr Anthony Fauci's extradition

The claim appeared as a post on X, according to which Putin is reportedly seeking to have Anthony Fauci extradited to Russia to face COVID-era ‘crimes against humanity’ charges as part of a deal to end the war in Ukraine. 

The post has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, with many agreeing with the extradition, indicating that they believe the claim is true. Meanwhile, a few others remain skeptical and question the authenticity.

Fact Check: The claim originated from a misinformation outlet

However, the claim is false, as there is no evidence of the Russian president seeking the extradition of the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) over alleged crimes against humanity.

There are no official statements, press conferences, or social media posts from Putin seeking the extradition of Dr. Fauci as part of a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

If Putin really made such a demand, prominent national and international news outlets would have widely covered it, making headlines. A search on Google, Bing, and Yandex for the claim also yielded no such media reports.

The search, however, revealed that the claim originated a year ago from The People's Voice, a misinformation outlet run by Sean Adl-Tabataba, and has been debunked by several fact-checking outlets.

Dr Anthony Fauci faces scrutiny over lab leak claims

Fauci was a key public health adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he played a major role in shaping the US response regarding vaccines, mask guidance, and other strategies to control the virus's spread.   

In May this year, the debate about the origins of COVID-19 heated up, with a former CIA officer telling the Senate Homeland Security Committee that Fauci had a direct and "intentional" role in pushing the intelligence community to abandon the lab leak theory. 

In July, Fauci faced a Senate hearing over the allegations, during which Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment while facing intense questioning from Republican senators led by Rand Paul.