Oprah Winfrey is a perennial character in misinformation stemming from the QAnon conspiracy theory — so much so that in 2020, the media magnate addressed baseless rumors that she had been arrested for participating in a sex trafficking ring.
Such claims continue to spread on social media.
“Oprah is a sex trafficker,” a Sept. 20 Threads post said, misspelling “marshals.” “She’s been caught and now has to be escorted around by the U.S. Marshall’s.”.
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, Instagram and Threads.)
A U.S. Marshals Service spokesperson told PolitiFact the claim is false.
We found no evidence, such as credible reporting, criminal cases, photos or video footage, to corroborate the post.
The accusation comes after Winfrey interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, on Sept. 19 during a televised forum.
We rate the claim that Winfrey is a sex trafficker who must be escorted around by U.S. marshals Pants on Fire!
Truth-o-meter Ruling
If your time is short
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This claim is unfounded, and a U.S. Marshals Service spokesperson said it’s false.
Statement
Context
a Threads postSpeaker/Target
Statement Date
Our Sources
Threads post, Sept. 20, 2024
Oprah Winfrey X post, March 17, 2020
The Washington Post, ‘NOT TRUE’: Oprah Winfrey debunks bizarre QAnon conspiracy theory spreading across the Internet, March 18, 2020
PolitiFact, No, this video doesn’t show Kamala Harris using a teleprompter during a live televised forum, Sept. 24, 2024
Statement from the U.S. Marshals, Sept. 25, 2024