Donald Trump

Conspiracy Theory About Slain DNC Staffer Was Planted by Russian Intelligence, Report Finds

The theory centers on Seth Rich, a DNC data director who was shot in 2016

A conspiracy theory about a murdered Democratic National Committee staffer that was repeatedly brought up on Fox News and by allies of President Donald Trump was planted and promoted by Russian intelligence, according to an investigation by Yahoo News.

The theory centers on Seth Rich, a DNC data director who was shot in 2016 in what authorities have suspected was an attempted robbery in Washington. Rich's death was quickly seized on by a variety of internet conspiracy theorists and far-right media, as well as Wikileaks, which offered a $20,000 reward for information in the case.

The theory roughly posited, without evidence, that Rich had been murdered as part of an effort to cover up supposed crimes by Hillary Clinton. The conspiracy theory broke into the mainstream in part with the help of Fox News, which later retracted an article claiming Rich was a potential source of leaked DNC emails published by Wikileaks.  

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