Is George Soros dead? Here's the truth behind viral claim about left wing billionaire
WASHINGTON, DC: George Soros has been the go-to boogeyman of the right wing for decades now, and so it is obvious that rumors of his death would spread like wildfire. An unfounded hoax peddled online sent "George Soros dead" trending on social media. However, his fans can rest assured that he's alive and well.
Soros, aged 92, has garnered a reputation as being one of the biggest contributors to politically liberal causes and continues to comment on global economic events. It's worth noting that this is not the first time rumors of his death have made the rounds. A fake obituary of his went viral in 2022. And in 2013, Reuters accidentally published a “premature” obituary of the left wing billionaire, including a fill-in-the-blank article that read in part, “George Soros, who died XXX at age XXX, was a predatory and hugely successful financier and investor, who argued paradoxically for years against the same sort of free-wheeling capitalism that made him billions.”
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Who is George Soros?
Soros is a Hungarian-American investor who reportedly emigrated to England in 1947 from Nazi-occupied Hungary. He went to to attend the London School of Economics and worked at several merchant banks in England and the US before starting his own hedge fund in 1969. He used the profits from that venture to start Soros Fund Management, his second hedge fund, in 1970. Also a notorious currency speculator, Soros shot to prominence two decades ago on a historic trade he took on the Bank of England, while shrewdly wagering on the devalulation of the pound - a move that pocketed him a staggering $1 billion, per Investopedia.
Soros has been married thrice and divorce twice. He is currently wed to yoga entrepreneur Tamiko Bolton, who is notably 42 years his junior. Despite having donated the majority of his wealth to left wing causes, his current fortune is estimated at $6.7 billion. The philanthropist is said to have donated upwards of $16 billion to Open Society Foundations, an international group of charities that operates in more than 100 countries.
Why is 'George Soros dead' trending?
According to The Sun, a conspiracy theorist going by the name Cilliam tweeted a "breaking" announcement of George Soros' death on Sunday, May 14, attributing the source as Politics For All Ireland, which is apparently another conspiracy-minded account. “BREAKING: George Soros has died of a violent heart attack, according to Politics For All Ireland," Cillian wrote, setting off the viral trend.
BREAKING: George Soros has died of a violent heart attack, according to Politics For All Ireland. pic.twitter.com/sogsNU53Lj
— Cillian (@CilComLFC) May 14, 2023
It is believed the unfounded news originated from @PolitcsFAIRL, which claimed Soros' death had been confirmed by his family. The subsequent tweet from @CilComLFC was seen millions of times, and many appeared to have fallen for the hoax as they continued to share the post. However, the truth remains that Soros is alive and well.
Left wing agenda and influence
It's important to note that Soros has been one of the biggest donors for the Democratic Party in recent years. During the 2022 midterm elections, he is said to have donated more than $128 million towards left-wing causes, mostly via his liberal super PAC Demcracy II. The hedge fund billionaire has routinely funneled his money towards Democratic causes, some of which include the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and relief for illegal immigrants in California. During the summer of 2020, his Open Society Foundations gave $220 million towards "racial justice" following the death of George Floyd.
A December 2022 report by Media Research Center Business found that the liberal billionaire has connections with 253 global media organizations and can “mold public opinion on practically every continent” through his international connections. The report explained that these connections are established through his “multi-million dollar efforts” to promote his “open society agenda” which include “some of the most radical leftist ideas on abortion, Marxist economics, anti-Americanism, defunding the police, environmental extremism and LGBT fanaticism.” The report also alleged that Soros' wide influence makes him more friendly with reporters who may not consider him "a target for investigation."