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Silvia Cernan Gutierrez is a multidisciplinary professional with almost two decades of experience spanning journalism, digital media, education, marketing, and international program management. She joined Lead Stories in November 2025. Silvia discovered her passion for investigative journalism in New York City, where she worked as part of a newsroom team producing digital news content and managing web and social coverage…

Did House Democrats release photos showing Jeffrey Epstein with a girl in a green skirt who also appears bound and gagged in another image? No, that's not true: These images have both been digitally edited. The original image of Epstein from 2005 showed him posing with Ghislaine Maxwell. It has been in the Getty Images library since 2016. The image…

Did Andrea Bocelli cancel his New York City concert after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor, saying "I don't sing for communists"? No, that's not true: There are multiple social media posts showing Bocelli and other artists including Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Brandon Lake, Steven Tyler and George Strait with a message saying that they have canceled upcoming concerts in New…

Did Walmart announce that it would shut down 23 "neighborhood markets" locations in New York City due to the "tax system Mamdani has planned"? No, that's not true: As of this writing, Walmart has no stores of any type in New York City. The earlier variations of the claim showed a satire label linking it to the self-professed liberal troll…

Did the "nation's largest trucking company" publicly refuse to offer its services in New York City after Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani takes office? No, that's not true: The claim was based on a made-up press release published by a page with a satire label. No credible media outlet reported the purported news. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published…

Did the New York Stock Exchange react to Zohran Mamdani's victory in the mayoral election by relocating to Texas from its 230-year base on New York City's Wall Street? No, that's not true: Intercontinental Exchange, the company that owns and operates the New York Stock Exchange, announced in February, when polls showed Mamdani with a single-digit pool of support, that…

Did New York City's Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani, his team or any credible media outlets announce that the incoming city administration plans to convert Trump Tower into a homeless shelter? No, that's not true: Lead Stories did not find a confirmation supporting the existence of such a plan on the pages officially affiliated with Mamdani. No credible media outlets reported the…

Did NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani announce a bitcoin tax on all New Yorkers just days after the Nov. 4 election? No, that's not true: This is a made-up story with no verifiable details. The text in the post appears to be AI-generated. There are no legitimate news reports about Mamdani announcing a bitcoin tax. The story originated in a November…

Did a person who is not a U.S. citizen or even a resident arrive in New York City two days before the election and vote for Mamdani for mayor? No, that's not true: The poster admitted that it was a joke post. To debunk their own joke, they showed where they found the picture of a ballot showing Zohran Mamdani's…

Was there a massive walkout at the NYPD the day after a new mayor was elected in New York City? No, that's not true: "There is no walkout," a spokesperson with the NYPD told Lead Stories. The claim was made by a congressional candidate based in Texas without any proof or evidence. There are no actual news reports of the…