A fabricated graphic purporting to show a Financial Times front page report on a US Federal Reserve investigation into Kenya's 2014 Eurobond has been shared by several individuals, including Alego Usonga Member of Parliament and Budget & Appropriations Committee Chairman Sam Atandi. The graphic displays a front-page headline that reads: "US Federal Reserve opens investigation on Kenya's 2014 $2.75 Billion Euro Bond."
The graphic has sparked renewed debate over the management of Kenya's 2014 Eurobond, with some individuals using it to make claims about the involvement of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration. Kenya issued its inaugural $2 billion Eurobond in June 2014 under Kenyatta's administration to fund infrastructure projects and repay existing loans.
The doctored Financial Times graphic is not new; it first gained traction in late November 2023 when political figures, including Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Chairman Caleb Kositany, shared it on social media platforms. Disinformation networks frequently recycle fabricated front pages of international legacy publications to lend an air of global credibility to political fabrications.
A reverse image search and archive check of the Financial Times print edition from late November 2023 confirm that the outlet never published this front page or headline. The authentic front page of the Financial Times for that period carried unrelated lead stories, including coverage of global geopolitics and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The fabricated graphic attributes the byline to Demetri Sevastopulo, the US-China correspondent for the Financial Times. When the graphic first circulated, Sevastopulo publicly debunked it via his verified X account, stating: "This is a complete fake. I did not write any story about Kenya."
International news agency Reuters previously fact-checked this exact graphic, confirming with the Financial Times and relevant authorities that no such report or Federal Reserve investigation exists. The image purporting to show a Financial Times front page report on a US Federal Reserve investigation into Kenya's 2014 Eurobond is fabricated.
Key stakeholders, including the US Federal Reserve and the Financial Times, have denied the existence of any investigation into Kenya's 2014 Eurobond. The incident highlights the need for fact-checking and verification in the digital age, particularly when it comes to sensitive topics like financial transactions and government investigations.
Key points
- The doctored Financial Times graphic has been circulating on social media since late November 2023.
- The Financial Times and US Federal Reserve have denied the existence of any investigation into Kenya's 2014 Eurobond.
- The fabricated graphic has sparked renewed debate over the management of Kenya's 2014 Eurobond.
