Oprah responds to ‘awful fake’ rumors about arrest for human trafficking
Oprah Winfrey hopped on Twitter late Tuesday, taking a break from disinfecting, to address an online rumor about her being arrested and her home being raided.
The former queen of daytime television's name had been trending on social media most of the day Tuesday. According to NDTV, the rumors alleged Winfrey was busted for sex trafficking. With internet trolls and everyday people alike with copious amounts of time, the internet report began circulating rapidly. One tweet that included the claims that Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres and others had been linked to a trafficking ring was retweeted more than 500 times.
The rumor reached a loved one of the television icon, which led to her addressing it on her Twitter page.
Though it’s likely no surprise to anyone, the 66-year-old was not arrested and her home had not been raided. Instead, she said she had been spending her days “social distancing”and “sanitizing.”
“Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. It’s NOT TRUE. Haven’t been raided, or arrested,” she wrote during twilight hours Wednesday.
Some critics of the media maven were not convinced, associating Winfrey with Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein.
Others, whether they believed the rumor or not, mocked the arrest report, because Winfrey has recently been slammed for her ties to the “Leaving Neverland” documentary about Michael Jackson’s sex abuse allegations and a documentary speaking with women accusing Russell Simmons of rape.
Many of her fans came to her defense and expressed shock that the television talk legend, who often interviewed victims of abuse and human trafficking on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” would be implicated in such a crime.
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Stephanie has been telling stories her whole life. Her interest in the written word started with short stories and journal entries about run-ins with classroom bullies as a child and matured to writing for her high school newspaper over the years. She has written and edited for The Tennessean, Augusta Chronicle and American City & County.
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