Snopes Debunker - Max Polyakov's grift empire Pt. IV, a "Columbus Day" claim debunked, and White House solar panels

​ MONDAY EDITION Snopes Debunker Oct. 10, 2022 Trouble Reading? View in Your Browser Today: Max Polyakov's grift empire Pt. IV, a "Columbus Day" claim debunked, and White House solar panels ​ How Max Polyakov Hides His Financial Interest in an International Web of Online Deception Pt. IV Max Polyakov has used the existence and accreditation of his financial services firm, Maxpay, as evidence of his legitimate business bonafides and to combat a reputation for scammy business practices that goes back to 2009, at the latest. Speaking to the Kyiv Post in 2018 about his turn from internet marketing to co-founder of Firefly Aerospace, he argued that he was well-suited to the information security demands of the aerospace industry due to Maxpay’s demonstrated compliance with regulators in the financial sector. Holding up Maxpay as an example of clean business practices is a particularly gutsy — if not cynical — play. See what reporter Alex Kasprak uncovered in part IV of this special Snopes investigation. Read Now Fact Checks and Original Reporting A ‘Columbus Day’ Claim Debunked in 1892 In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but he never actually set foot in mainland North America. Read Story. Is This a Real Photo of an Autumnal Lake in Vermont? A beautiful image of a lake in Vermont has serious autumn vibes. Read Story. Does the White House Have Solar Panels on Its Roof? Jimmy Carter was the first president to have solar panels installed on the roof of the White House, back in 1979. Read Story. Latest Fact Checks News Kanye West’s Twitter, Instagram Locked over Offensive Posts Kanye West’s Twitter and Instagram accounts have been locked because of antisemitic posts by the rapper, now known legally as Ye. Read More Former Fed Chair Bernanke Shares Nobel for Research on Banks Bernanke was recognized along with Douglas W. Diamond and Philip H. Dybvig. Read More College Football at 49? North Dakota Lineman Has Right Stuff After nearly two decades in the Army and National Guard, Ray Ruschel was working as a night-shift mechanic at a North Dakota sugar beet factory when he decided to enroll at the College of Science. Read More

View Latest News Staff Pick The Creepy Internet Tale of Hachishakusama, the 8-Foot-Tall Woman The story is reminiscent of Japanese urban legends and is said to have originated on the 2chan message board. Read Story. View All Editors' Picks Keep Snopes Debunking Show your support for Team Snopes by making a one-time contribution today. Contribute Now