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Richard D

(8,749 posts)
Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:01 AM Oct 2020

NBC News: Hunter Biden documents are work of fake "intelligence firm" [View all]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Last edited Fri Oct 30, 2020, 12:11 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: NBC News

One month before a purported leak of files from Hunter Biden's laptop, a fake "intelligence" document about him went viral on the right-wing internet, asserting an elaborate conspiracy theory involving former Vice President Joe Biden's son and business in China.

The document, a 64-page composition that was later disseminated by close associates of President Donald Trump, appears to be the work of a fake "intelligence firm" called Typhoon Investigations, according to researchers and public documents.

The author of the document, a self-identified Swiss security analyst named Martin Aspen, is a fabricated identity, according to analysis by disinformation researchers, who also concluded that Aspen's profile picture was created with an artificial intelligence face generator. The intelligence firm that Aspen lists as his previous employer said that no one by that name had ever worked for the company and that no one by that name lives in Switzerland, according to public records and social media searches.

One of the original posters of the document, a blogger and professor named Christopher Balding, took credit for writing parts of it when asked about it and said Aspen does not exist.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/how-fake-persona-laid-groundwork-hunter-biden-conspiracy-deluge-n1245387?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma



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People should goto jail over this kwolf68 Oct 2020 #1
Yes they should, and every GOP lawmaker or campaigner who used this should be held to account. Doodley Oct 2020 #2
Tucker & Hannity come to mind besides those who made it up. KS Toronado Oct 2020 #6
Dan Rather's career was destroyed robbob Oct 2020 #26
They used a freaking AI deepfake generator to create a persona. joshcryer Oct 2020 #3
It doesn't have to be a good fake. Just good enough to promote the story to tRump's base NoRoadUntravelled Oct 2020 #43
I get your point about fooling the base. This was a Russia fed operation. ancianita Oct 2020 #54
Thanks for this. NoRoadUntravelled Oct 2020 #55
Welcome. ancianita Oct 2020 #56
"Promoting this comically obvious fraud might have been too much even for Fox News." lagomorph777 Oct 2020 #4
They concocted a completely fake persona greenjar_01 Oct 2020 #34
Sen. Ron Johnson needs to answer for this. madaboutharry Oct 2020 #5
Could be reason for Johnson's JULY FOURTH visit to Moscow couple years back. . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Oct 2020 #9
The whole contingent that traveled that day were never scrutinized as to what transpired. Evolve Dammit Oct 2020 #49
+1,000,000! dchill Oct 2020 #11
Yes! He definitely should. NoRoadUntravelled Oct 2020 #44
If the Democrats take the Senate, the chances are very good. madaboutharry Oct 2020 #47
I wish We the People could start a class action suit against these liars NoRoadUntravelled Oct 2020 #52
Deleted. It was a duplicate. NoRoadUntravelled Oct 2020 #45
I wonder what Hunter Biden, private citizen, will do next against these criminals. nattyice Oct 2020 #7
Bingo! Having your life demonized by fake reports for political purposes constitutes libel. onetexan Oct 2020 #8
He, like other public figures, has a high bar to meet melm00se Oct 2020 #16
How is Hunter Biden a public figure? He's not in government, he's not an author, he doesn't promote scarletwoman Oct 2020 #30
This is one of the tougher things to wrap heads around melm00se Oct 2020 #40
They only know how to fabricate and attack. As Rudy Colludy sez "They got bupkus." Evolve Dammit Oct 2020 #53
Why am I not surprised? ananda Oct 2020 #10
Well, there's a surprise........ Sherman A1 Oct 2020 #12
Sen. Ron Johnson, you lying snake. DEMs are coming for you now in 2022. NCjack Oct 2020 #13
No. Don't donate emotionally. Be cold and smart. scipan Oct 2020 #59
The Trumpanzee computer repair man AmericanCanuck Oct 2020 #14
In a parallel universe, maybe. maxsolomon Oct 2020 #50
He was already nervous talking to a reporter AmericanCanuck Oct 2020 #51
Sen. Ron Johnson, you lying snake. DEMs are coming for you now in 2022. NCjack Oct 2020 #15
Whomever the Nominee chuckperth Oct 2020 #18
Yeah -- I hope someone sets it up. Everything to drown Johnson in NCjack Oct 2020 #22
Sent $25 to Nelson - johnson has to GO. NoMoreRepugs Oct 2020 #39
This message was self-deleted by its author jayfish Oct 2020 #17
Thanks. Richard D Oct 2020 #23
Well Done Sir. jayfish Oct 2020 #32
There's still a problem - it says ABC at the top of the post, but the link says NBC. scarletwoman Oct 2020 #35
Can't blame the lack of coffee . . . Richard D Oct 2020 #36
Nah, it's totally understandable. I think we're all getting a little nuts, scarletwoman Oct 2020 #37
How fucking incompetent are they? jcgoldie Oct 2020 #19
That they were willing to try to smear Hunter as a pedophile says who they are. 58Sunliner Oct 2020 #20
Head of DNI jonstl08 Oct 2020 #21
Preplanned and orchestrated at the highest levels. dalton99a Oct 2020 #24
Who would beleive? Clearly fogged in Oct 2020 #25
the crickets at Faux News are deafening Dukkha Oct 2020 #27
Of course it is AllyCat Oct 2020 #28
The phrase "taking credit" seems very misplaced here. BobTheSubgenius Oct 2020 #29
New AG should really look into Balding's role in this greenjar_01 Oct 2020 #31
Assume everything on the laptop is fake too jmowreader Oct 2020 #33
+++ agree. nt iluvtennis Oct 2020 #41
when tucker said he wasn't going to press the issue orleans Oct 2020 #38
Is this something different then the Laptop thing? OneCrazyDiamond Oct 2020 #42
Really would like to see Hunter Biden pursue the braintrust that put this plan together NoMoreRepugs Oct 2020 #46
They are such F-ing cheaters!! Doesn't it occur to any of them to come up with some ideas unitedwethrive Oct 2020 #48
So Kennedy from Fox was right! Guiliani is an evil Christopher Steele Renew Deal Oct 2020 #57
Recommended. H2O Man Oct 2020 #58
After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING Omaha Steve Oct 2020 #60
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