Snopes Debunker - Max Polyakov's grift empire Pt. V, Universal Studios, and even more Facebook scams to look out for

​ TUESDAY EDITION Snopes Debunker Oct. 11, 2022 Trouble Reading? View in Your Browser Today: Max Polyakov's grift empire Pt. V, Universal Studios, and even more Facebook scams to look out for ​ How Max Polyakov Hides His Financial Interest in an International Web of Online Deception Pt. IV Snopes’ 2020 investigation connected Noosphere Ventures — the entity through which Max Polyakov once held majority ownership of the U.S. aerospace company Firefly Aerospace — to over 100 predatory dating websites. The suggestion apparently touched a nerve. “Noosphere Ventures does not hold any shareholdings in any dating business,” a spokesperson wrote in a response to that story, “therefore the suggestion that Firefly Aerospace is funded by dating business activity is impossible.” Polyakov no longer has anything to do with Firefly Aerospace. The U.S. government, reportedly citing national security concerns, forced him to give up his ownership in early 2022. Prior to the sale of his interest in that aerospace company, however, he quietly became an apparently significant investor in the Scottish aerospace company Skyrora Limited. See what reporter Alex Kasprak uncovered in the fifth and final chapter of this special Snopes investigation. Read Now Fact Checks and Original Reporting Universal Studios Orlando Is Not Closing Permanently Readers may have noticed a headline in their Google Discover feeds that said, "Universal Studios Orlando Closes Location Permanently." Read Story. Avoid ‘Chick-fil-A Fans’ Facebook Pages That Push Prize Scams This old Facebook scam just won't die. Read Story. ‘Buy SpaceX Stock Before It Goes Public’ Posts Are a Scam The scam was being promoted in Facebook ads and perhaps also on Instagram by an account that showed signs of originating in Vietnam.Read Story. Latest Fact Checks News Governor Voids Territorial Orders Targeting Native Americans Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham described the 19th century proclamations by former territorial governors as offensive. Read More Underground Microbes May Have Swarmed Ancient Mars Ancient Mars may have had an environment capable of harboring an underground world teeming with microscopic organisms. Read More Lost Wedding Ring Found in Brush Pile After Hurricane Ian Ashley Garner had given up on ever seeing her wedding ring again. Read More

View Latest News Staff Pick A True Story About the Death of a Girl Playing With Leaves? As the story goes, her father drove his truck into a pile of leaves in which she was playing, killing her. Read Story. View All Editors' Picks Keep Snopes Debunking Show your support for Team Snopes by making a one-time contribution today. Contribute Now