FACT CHECK: Did Navy JAG Arrest Judge Juan Merchan?

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on Facebook claims U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps investigators have purportedly arrested New York Judge Juan Merchan on multiple charges, including treason.

Verdict: False

The claim is false and originally stems from a Sept. 7 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.” In addition, a spokesperson for the U.S. Navy JAG Corps denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.

Fact Check:

Merchan has delayed sentencing for Trump’s hush money payments case until Nov. 26, according to CNN. Back in May, Trump was convicted of 34 counts of “falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to [porn star Stormy Daniels],” the outlet reported.

The Facebook post claims U.S. Navy JAG Corps investigators purportedly arrested Merchan on charges of “seditious conspiracy, treason, defrauding the United States, and advocating the overthrow of the government.” The post further claims 11 “compromised jurors” who sat on Trump’s hush money payments case are also in custody, and “a few might testify against Merchan.”

The claim is false and originally stems from a Sept. 7 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.” A “Disclaimer” included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates its content is not meant to be taken literally. “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 [of] legal counsel,” the disclaimer reads.

Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim. If Merchan had actually been arrested, multiple media outlets would’ve covered it, yet none have. The claim is neither referenced on the U.S. Navy JAG Corps’ website nor its verified social media accounts. Trump also has not publicly commented on the claim. (RELATED: Image Showing Trump’s Bandaged Ear Is From Right After Shooting, Not September)

In addition, Patricia Babb, a spokesperson for the U.S. Navy JAG Corps, denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.

“This is not true,” Babb said of the claim.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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