Claim: The
Assessment
The press release states "approximately 255 fake user accounts" and every news outlet repeated it. The charging document, the indictment returned 1 June 2021 and filed in redacted form on 2 September 2026, alleges at paragraph 21(c) that the defendants "registered and created at least 225 fake accounts" between June and August 2016. The indictment is the operative allegation; the release is a summary of it issued by the same office. Whether 255 is a typo or a later count is not stated. ThreatPaper read both documents.
Where this claim appeared
US Department of Justice · 2026-09-01
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/russian-national-indicted-exploiting-online-platform-used-freelance-employment-andWhat “Superseded” means
Reported accurately at the time, then corrected by the original source. Recorded because the original version usually continues circulating long after the correction.
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