Real Raw News

Are stories about a former foster child named Lily Tran getting into Stanford and being called on stage to sing with their celebrity idol real? No, that's not true: There are several versions of the story circulating on social media in which different celebrities keep a promise to sing together if she got into Stanford. Lead Stories found versions with…

Was a Fort Collins, Colorado man, who described himself as a "wolf furry," mauled by wolves in Wyoming when he tried to join their pack? No, that's not true: The story circulating on social media originated on 'Casper Planet' a satirical Facebook page which posts fake stories that are based mainly in Wyoming. The page has a disclaimer that says,…

Has Ghislaine Maxwell been cleared to leave prison on work release? Here is what we know: On August 1, 2025 the federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed to Lead Stories that Maxwell had been moved to the federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, a minimum-security all women facility. On August 11, 2025 podcaster Allison Gill published an article based on an…

Did Barack and Michelle Obama sell their Martha's Vineyard estate to Les Wexner, a money management client of Jeffrey Epstein? No, that's not true. The home that Wexner purchased on Martha's Vineyard in July 2025 had been rented for Obama summer vacations from 2009 to 2011, while Obama was president. Though they later bought an estate on Martha's Vineyard, that…

Was Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer arrested by "U.S. Navy JAG" on "treason charges" related to the weak July 2025 job report published by the agency? No, that's not true: As of this writing, McEntarfer was fired by the Trump administration, but no credible source has published any reports about the purported arrest. The rumor came from a…

Does an image of a burnt building really show the Mossad's headquarters hit by an Iranian strike in June 2025? No, that's not true: The giveaway that the picture didn't show a real-life scene was the misspelled name of the Israeli intelligence agency. That and other clues such as inconsistent shadows suggest that the picture has been modified or generated…

Did Jelly Roll announce that he would not celebrate Pride Month and that "WOKE Doesn't Deserve to Be Celebrated"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that the singer, rapper, and songwriter known as Jelly Roll -- real name Jason DeFord -- made such a statement. His official website and social media accounts do not include the statement. The…

Did a video clip authentically show "TACO" written in the sky over President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, in May 2025? No, that's not true: The footage was fake, and most likely generated using AI. The acronym "TACO", meaning "Trump Always Chickens Out" came to prominence among some critics of the president, in May 2025 amid his attempts to impose increased…

Did Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. testify before Congress that "China is putting gay chemicals in the vapes, coupled with fruity pina colada flavoring agents"? No, that's not true: The video uses generative AI to imitate Kennedy's voice and mouth movements, but it ends with a screen of text that says it is a deepfake. The account on which the video…

Were people in Kentucky not warned ahead of the May 16, 2025 tornado that killed more than 20 people in the southeastern part of the state? No, that's not true: The National Weather Service issued warnings two days ahead. Multiple state officials, including Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, have said there's no evidence the National Weather Service tornado warnings were delayed…