Associated Incidents
IN SHORT: A viral Facebook video claims that a Kenyan doctor's house has been destroyed in an explosion linked to his criticism of pharmaceutical companies. It also shows him promoting a "miracle cure" for unnamed chronic diseases. But the video is a deepfake.
A video making rounds on Facebook starts with Citizen TV news anchor Swaleh Mdoe seemingly presenting the 7pm news bulletin in English.
The text at the bottom of the screen reads: "Attack on Doctor: Pharmaceutical companies under suspicion."
The segment is about a doctor named Kiprono Chepkurui, whose house has been destroyed in an explosion, allegedly due to his outspoken criticism of pharmaceutical companies.
The video then moves from Mdoe to "Dr Chepkurui", who claims pharmaceutical companies are a "mafia" and want to kill him. He alleges that the companies sell pills that don't help people.
He also claims that people aged 45 and above have clogged blood vessels that need cleaning. He then promotes a product that he claims cleanses the blood vessels and does wonders, such as immediately normalising blood pressure.
He goes on to say that "9 out of 10 chronic conditions resolve themselves". He then urges people watching the video on Facebook to click on a link to learn more about the product, which he claims is affordable, safe and fast.
The video has over 497,000 views.
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Context
Chronic conditions are health problems that take a long time to resolve and often require ongoing treatment. They include conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease.
The video alleges that most chronic conditions are caused by clogged blood vessels, and that Citizen TV has exposed pharmaceutical companies for trying to kill the doctor who developed a cure.
But is this true, and is the video genuine? We checked.
Deepfake designed to sell a dubious product
There are several signs that the video is fake. First, Citizen TV's 7pm news bulletin is in Kiswahili language, and Mdoe is a Kiswahili anchor. But the video shows the broadcaster speaking in English. This suggests manipulation.
Second, the video includes an explosion scene, which it claims is Dr Chepkurui's house being blown up. But a reverse image search reveals this footage is of a house explosion in Ohio, USA, on 20 November 2024. It has no connection to Kenya or any doctor.
Third, a Google search for "Dr Kiprono Chepkurui" shows no results. A reverse image search of the footage showing the supposed doctor reveals that it has been taken from a YouTube video uploaded in February 2017.
The original video features a student doctor at a US university discussing his medical journey. The footage is similar, but the words and lip movements are different. This suggests that deepfake technology was used to manipulate the context of the original footage. The same technology was used in the Mdoe segment, using actual footage of him, but with altered words to mimic his voice.
Finally, the video is full of red flags associated with health scams. Its claim of instantly normalizing blood pressure and resolving multiple unnamed chronic conditions fits the definition of a "miracle cure" as it promises unrealistic results without scientific evidence. The video is designed to exploit the fears and health concerns of ailing people or their loved ones so they can buy the unproven product.
This video is a deepfake designed to spread misinformation and promote a dubious product. It misleads viewers with manipulated footage, falsehoods, fake voices, and artificial intelligence technology.