FACT CHECK: Facebook Post Falsely Claims J.K. Rowling Bought Real Estate In Moscow
An image shared on Facebook claims “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling purportedly bought real estate in Moscow, Russia.
Verdict: False
The claim is false. Both Reuters and U.K.-based outlet Full Fact debunked the claim via April 27 and April 30 articles, respectively.
Fact Check:
Daniel Radcliffe, who played the titular character in the film adaptations of Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series, recently said the author’s position on transgender issues “makes [him] really sad,” according to The Independent. Radcliffe also shared he has not spoken to Rowling in years via a new interview with The Atlantic, the outlet reported.
The Facebook image claims Rowling purportedly bought real estate in Moscow, Russia. “I got [sic] the right to be normal: J.K. Rowling bought real estate in Moscow,” text overlay on the image reads. The image does not provide a source to support its claim. Another iteration of the claim, also shared on Facebook, purports Rowling bought an apartment in Moscow due to bullying she faced for “speaking out against transgender people.”
The claim is false. Rowling has neither referenced the claim via her official website nor her verified social media accounts. Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. Both Reuters and U.K.-based outlet Full Fact debunked the claim via April 27 and April 30 articles, respectively.
A spokesperson for Rowling denied the claim, according to Reuters, labeling it “untrue on all counts.”
Rowling has been a vocal critic of transgenderism since 2017, according to Glamour U.K. In 2020, she shared a post to her official website explaining why she’d chosen to “speak out on sex and gender issues,” the outlet indicated. More recently, in October 2023, the “Harry Potter” author said she’d rather go to prison than be forced to use transgender pronouns. (RELATED: Video Claims To Show Africans Joining Russian Army)
Check Your Fact has contacted a Rowling spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
