America’s Last Line of Defense, along with many other reputable conservative publications, fell victim to a hoax this week about Ted Nugent being killed in a hunting accident. While several different fact-checking sites have traced the origins of the story back to internet blogs and Facebook pages, the actual perpetrator has been found after an investigation into fraud by the US Attorney’s office in Washington.
The man who invented the hoax is named Leonard Terwilliger-Smith, a leftist blogger for the website “Addicting Info.” He writes under the pen name “Les Truthful.” Terwilliger-Smith allegedly started the rumor in a conservative writer’s group he had infiltrated for the sole purpose of spreading misinformation.
According to US Attorney David Roseman:
“What this man did is tantamount to fraud and domestic terrorism. He tried to start a movement among the right by making them believe Ted Nugent had been murdered, most likely by Hillary Clinto, putting her and her family at risk. He will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Facebook has suspended his personal and fake profile. The people he works for say he did nothing wrong and that they “applaud him for fooling right-wingers.” Their site was the subject of a Buzzfeed story about fake news.
Nugent and his wife put out a video on Ted’s Facebook page letting the world know he’s alive and well. he’s reportedly going to sue the “reporter” who started the hoax for eleventy million dollars.
America’s Last Line of Defense apologizes for our role in the hoax as one of the first to report it. We look forward to continuing to bring you the best truth the internet has to offer.