Fact Check

Did a Military Tribunal Convict US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen of Treason?

The idea originated from Real Raw News, a website that regularly publishes similar outlandish claims.

Published Oct 27, 2023

 ( Bryan Bedder / Getty Images)
Image Via Bryan Bedder / Getty Images
Claim:
On Oct. 16, 2023, a military tribunal found U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen guilty of treason.

On Oct. 26, 2023, Real Raw News published an article claiming that Janet Yellen, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, had been found guilty of treason by a military tribunal based at Guantanamo Bay.

JAG Convicts Janet Yellen of Treason

Vice Admiral Darse E. Crandall called Janet Yellen an “urchin,” among other colorful nouns, at a military tribunal that saw the fiendish woman repeatedly debase herself while raising a flurry of self-incriminating objections that helped the prosecution secure a guilty verdict and death sentence.

The article claims that Yellen's trial took place on Oct. 16, 2023, and with the guilty verdict delivered, Yellen would be hung on Oct. 18. The claims spread to social sites as well. Snopes found posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Rumble sharing or parroting the claim.

The article is not truthful, however. Real Raw News is not a trustworthy source of information and is known for posting conspiratorial articles revolving around the concept of a hidden "Deep State." A disclaimer on the RealRawNews website also notes that the website often publishes satirical and humorous content:

Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice on legal counsel.

If Yellen had been arrested (Snopes previously fact-checked that claim, which also originated from Real Raw News) and found guilty of treason, reputable news organizations like the Associated Press or Reuters would also have reported it. The treasury secretary's most recent appearance was 10 days after her supposed conviction when she was interviewed on Bloomberg.

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Sources

About Us | Real Raw News. https://realrawnews.com/about-us/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2023.

Baxter, Michael. JAG Convicts Janet Yellen of Treason. 26 Oct. 2023, https://realrawnews.com/2023/10/jag-convicts-janet-yellen-of-treason/.

LaMagdeleine, Izz Scott. “Janet Yellen Was ‘Arrested for Treason’?” Snopes, 18 Sept. 2023, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/janet-yellen-arrested/.

Jack Izzo is a Chicago-based journalist and two-time "Jeopardy!" alumnus.