Fact Check: Was a Haitian Official Preparing to ‘Testify Against Clinton Foundation Corruption’ Before He Died?

A conspiracy theory has regained popularity and circulation on Facebook this week regarding Klaus Eberwein’s suicide and alleged connection to the Clintons.

Eberwein was a Hatian government official from 2012 to 2015. He served as the director general of the Haitian government’s economic development agency and was, before his death, a partner at a pizza restaurant and formerly an Uber driver in South Florida, as the Miami Herald reported.

Back in July of last year, the website Liberty One News posted an article titled, “Haiti Official Getting Ready To Testify Against Clinton Foundation Corruption NEXT WEEK, Found DEAD With ‘Gunshot to the head.’”

The only accurate information in that verbose headline is that Eberwein was, in fact, shot in the head.

The Miami-Dade medical examiner records supervisor Veronica Lamar told the Miami Herald that Eberwein, “Shot himself in the head.”

What a juicy story: Haiti official supposedly kills himself before testifying against the dreaded Clintons! Only one big problem: The Clinton connection is absolutely made up.

Instead, the Miami Herald reported that former Haitian government official Eberwein was set to appear “before the Haitian Senate’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission” which was “investigating the management of PetroCaribe funds, the money Haiti receives from Venezuela’s discounted oil program.” Through a twisted game of online conspiracy telephone, “PetroCaribe” became “Clinton Foundation.”

The sources used in the article from Liberty One News all lead back to the website Your News Wire, the same website which offers up false headlines like, “Texas Church Shooter Was Antifa Member Who Vowed To Start Civil War,” “Another ‘Floating City’ Spotted Over China” and a personal favorite, “Putin Has Proof Princess Diana Was Killed By British Royal Family.”

Your News Wire claimed that Eberwein “had acknowledged his life was in danger, was a fierce critic of the Clinton Foundation’s activities in the Caribbean island.” The report also cites Eberwein as saying “the Clinton Foundation, they are criminals, they are thieves, they are liars, they are a disgrace,” in a Clinton-related protest in 2016.

Wrong on all accounts. There are no legitimate reports backing up the claim that Eberwein said his life was in danger nor was he a “fierce critic of the Clinton Foundation.” Snopes notes, in its fact check on the matter, that the quote came from a BBC article quoting activist Dahoud Andre.

In fact, there is no reputable connection between Eberwein and the Clintons.

But none of that stopped click farms from promoting this inane, Seth Rich-level conspiracy. Sites like WND, Zero Hedge, Steemit, American Liberty Report, and so on peddled this fake news for all the impressions they could.

If you have questions about this fact check, or would like to submit a request for another fact check, email Holmes Lybrand at [email protected] or the Weekly Standard at [email protected]. For details on TWS Fact Check, see our explainer here.

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