Social media is abuzz with a claim that citizen journalist Nick Shirley has uncovered a link between $17 million in contractor kickbacks and an LLC associated with the Obama Foundation. The rumor suggests that these kickbacks are connected to the Obama Presidential Center project.
The viral posts allege that Shirley and his team discovered a direct financial tie between contractors working on the center and an LLC purportedly owned by the Obama Foundation. Further speculation in these posts claims that the former first family stands to profit significantly, with estimates of $70 million in personal gains, an additional $20 million annually from admissions and merchandise, and a complimentary 2,200-square-foot penthouse.
However, an investigation into these assertions reveals that the claim lacks substantiation. Searches for reports by Nick Shirley or any credible news outlets connecting kickbacks to the Obama Foundation or the Presidential Center project yielded no relevant results. Such a significant discovery would almost certainly have garnered widespread media attention.
The origin of this specific claim has been traced back to a Facebook account named “America’s Last Line Of Defence.” The profile for this account explicitly states, “Nothing on this page is real,” indicating the content was created as satire.
Separately, at the opening ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center, former First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the importance of civic engagement and rejecting cynicism. She highlighted that the center’s purpose extends beyond the Obama family, emphasizing that its future and preservation depend on the collective efforts of the public, much like democracy itself. She encouraged Americans to make conscious choices for hope, to vote, and to practice kindness, cautioning against overlooking the humanity in others.
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