Fact Check: Was Brittney Griner jailed in Brussels for carrying counterfeit sports cards?

WASHINGTON, DC: Earlier this month, a startling claim spread rapidly across social media that WNBA star Brittney Griner had once again been jailed, this time in Brussels, for allegedly carrying "a large amount of illegal contraband".

The post shared widely on social media platforms such as Facebook and X, described a dramatic scene involving counterfeit Michael Jordan cards and quoted Belgian officials discussing millions of dollars in fraud. While many users believed the claim as a fact, many questioned its origin and truthfulness. 

Claim: Brittney Griner detained in Brussels with fake Michael Jordan cards 

A rumor appearing online on November 25, asserted that Brittney Griner, who plays for the Atlanta Dream, had been arrested at a Brussels airport for travelling with prohibited items. 

The widely circulated Facebook post read, "Britney Griner is back in jail after being stopped at an airport in Brussels with 'a large amount of illegal contraband.' This time it wasn't drugs. It was counterfeit sports cards that would be nearly undetectable in the United States."

The post further cited Belgian customs director Josef Barrone as saying, "This may sound like something very silly. But we're talking about millions of US dollars in fraud. She had fourteen Michael Jordan rookie cards in mint condition."

The rumor asserted that the counterfeit cards were only "the beginning" and that Griner could face up to six years in prison if convicted. 

Versions of the claim quickly surfaced on other platforms like X as well, attracting thousands of comments. 

Although some readers took the allegations at face value, quoting Griner's previous detainment in Russia in 2022 for cannabis possession where she remained imprisoned for months before her return to the US, that real event eventually served as inspiration for the new rumor. 

Fact Check: The claim is satire, not reality 

Despite the post's viral reach, there is no evidence backing the claim that Brittney Griner was arrested, detained or even involved in an accident at a Brussels airport.

The rumor originated from a Facebook page called 'America loves liberty' which openly identifies its posts as fiction. The page's intro states that "nothing on this page is real," and that it publishes "ALLOD material," referring to America's Last Line of Defense, a long-running satirical network previously labeled as parody. 

The original post even included a "rated satire" watermark in the corner of the image, a detail many users overlooked. 

Secondly, neither any credible outlets published the WNBA star's detention, nor the Belgium customs authorities issued any statement on the claim.