From Russia, extensive stories about fake journalists

The man appeared in a dimly lit room and read from his computer screen, which was reflected in his thick glasses. He appeared to be a real person, but it was not possible to verify his actual identity. No one named Mohamed al-Alawi appears to have produced any previous articles or videos, as would be expected of a journalist. According to Active Fence, an internet security company, the character has no educational or work history and no network of friends or social connections online.

However, the video showed purported photos of a purchase contract and of the villa itself, creating a veneer of authenticity for gullible viewers. The property is in fact part of a resort owned by Orascom Development website Highlights El Gouna’s “year-round sunshine, sparkling lagoons, sandy beaches and azure waters.”

An article about the video’s claim appeared two days later as a paid advertisement, or brand content, on Punch, a news channel in Nigeria, as well as three other Nigerian websites that aggregate news and entertainment content.

The article had the byline of Arthur Nkono, who, according to internet searches, does not appear to have written any other articles. The article quoted a political scientist, Abdrulrahman Alabassy, ​​who also does not appear to exist except in reports linking the villa to the corrupt use of Western financial aid to Ukraine. (Punch, who later deleted the post, did not respond to requests for comment.)

A day later, the claim first appeared on (She also served as an election observer in an occupied territory of Ukraine during Russia’s parliamentary elections in September.)