“Obama finally reveals how personal chef drowned in mysterious pond accident.”
No, former President Barack Obama didn’t reveal how his personal chef died
If your time is short
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Tafari Campbell, the Obama family’s personal chef, drowned in July while paddleboarding near the Obamas’ home in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The state’s office of the chief medical examiner ruled his death an accident.
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A recent Facebook post floats the idea that former President Barack Obama recently divulged new information about how his family’s personal chef died.
“‘THEY ENDED HIM!’ Obama FINALLY reveals how personal chef drowned in MYSTERIOUS pond accident.mp4,” reads the Sept. 11 post, which includes an eight-minute-plus video.
But the video includes no such revelation.
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
Tafari Campbell, 45, drowned July 23 while paddleboarding in Edgartown Great Pond, near the Obamas’ house on Martha’s Vineyard, off the Massachusetts coast. Neither the former president nor former first lady Michelle Obama were home at the time, authorities said. Massachusetts’ chief medical examiner’s office ruled the death an accidental drowning.
Obama remembered Campbell in social media posts, writing that he “showed us what true character looks like” and said, “I’ll miss him every day.”
We found no evidence — in news reports or other credible sources — that Obama revealed that Campbell died in some other “mysterious” way.
We rate this post False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, Sept. 11, 2023
The Washington Post, Death of Obamas’ chef, Tafari Campbell, is ruled an accident, Aug. 22, 2023
Barack Obama Instagram post, Aug. 3, 2023
