An American military veteran who gained fame and a large following on social media and in the media for his supposed battlefield victories as a volunteer fighter in Ukraine has been exposed as a hoaxer. James Vasquez, who amassed over 400,000 followers on Twitter and was often quoted by news outlets such as CNN and the New York Times, fabricated his achievements to create a false image from which he could profit after the conflict, according to Business Insider.
The allegations against Vasquez, made by four other foreign volunteers in Ukraine, were confirmed by the Pentagon, which revealed that he had lied about his military history. He falsely claimed to have had combat deployments as a US Army sergeant in Iraq and Kuwait when, in reality, he served as an electrical systems repairer in the Army Reserve and ended his service as a private first class.
Vasquez’s social media posts, which were purportedly about his experiences on the front lines, often went viral. He bragged about capturing Russians and taking out tanks, and even claimed that he imagined targeting Tucker Carlson, a well-known conservative television host, when preparing for battle.
The fake accounts and media attention surrounding Vasquez caught the eye of Adam Kinzinger, a former US congressman, who insisted that Vasquez’s Twitter account needed to be verified because “he’s legit, and too many folks are trying to create fake accounts with him.”
However, it was revealed that Vasquez had been fabricating his claims by visiting areas where battles had recently taken place, shooting videos with destroyed equipment, and passing off these achievements as his own. In one instance, he claimed on Twitter that he was heading to Soledar, a location where intense fighting was allegedly taking place, but Ukrainian forces had actually withdrawn from the area days earlier.
These accusations against Vasquez began to surface earlier this year when Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, an American volunteer working in Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, publicly stated on Twitter that Vasquez could not legally participate in combat missions because he did not have a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). Ashton-Cirillo revealed that Vasquez had privately admitted to her, in the presence of another person, that he was never a member of the AFU.
Other foreign fighters also confirmed that Vasquez had boasted about becoming a millionaire once the conflict ended. He allegedly said, “I’m never gonna go back to work as a handyman. I’m probably never gonna have to work again after this war. I’m gonna be famous.” Vasquez reportedly sought donations, sometimes under the guise of a Ukrainian charity called Ripley’s Heroes. He also exploited the death of Ukrainian-born British fighter Viktor Yatsunyk by falsely claiming to have lost a “friend.”
Business Insider attempted to reach out to Vasquez for comment on the allegations but was unsuccessful. However, Vasquez did admit to the New York Times in March that he had misrepresented his military record and had been discharged from the US Army. He confessed to having told numerous lies to advance his false image.
The exposure of James Vasquez as a hoaxer raises concerns about the spread of misinformation and the ease with which individuals can fabricate stories and gain a significant following on social media. It serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying sources and conducting thorough fact-checking before accepting information as true.
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