Investigation Reveals Fake Financial Journalists Shilling Crypto Across Major Publications

In a striking revelation for digital media in 2026, four prolific financial journalists are now under scrutiny for potentially being fake. An investigation by The Press Gazette has uncovered evidence suggesting these writers—who have published articles in outlets such as Forbes, Investing.com, HuffPost, CoinTelegraph, VentureBeat, and The Street—are not real people but digital puppets.

Fake Journalists Linked to Crypto PR Firm

The four writers in question—Nikolai Kuznetsov, Reuben Jackson, Luis Aureliano, and Joe Liebkind—each have bylines in major financial publications. However, their headshots appear to be either AI-generated images or stock photos, and none have verifiable online histories beyond their collective publishing careers, which exceed 1,000 articles.

Investigators found that each writer frequently promoted cryptocurrencies tied to clients of MarketAcross, a publicity firm that describes itself as offering “PR for the world’s leading blockchain companies.” Notably, they pushed a dubious crypto project called “Gladius”, which collapsed in 2017.

Further investigation revealed that a defunct website for Kuznetsov, the most prolific of the group, was registered under the same address as InboundJunction, a “media and PR group for tech, AI, and cyber brands.” InboundJunction shares the same founders as MarketAcross, raising additional red flags.

No Verification from Major Outlets

None of the publications where these writers contributed could provide The Press Gazette with evidence confirming their existence as real journalists. Additionally, the accused writers did not respond to inquiries from the publication.

This raises serious questions about the integrity of financial journalism, particularly in the crypto space, where credibility is already a major concern. The scheme appears designed to lend artificial legitimacy to crypto projects by using fabricated journalists to shill coins.

MarketAcross Responds

A managing partner for both MarketAcross and InboundJunction issued a statement to The Press Gazette, stating:

“We do not employ journalists, and our employees do not operate any of the profiles you referenced. We do not hold personal contact details for the individuals you mentioned, and any activity associated with them appears to be years ago.”

Broader Implications for Media Integrity

The findings underscore the growing challenges in digital media, where fake profiles and AI-generated content are increasingly blurring the lines between authentic journalism and marketing ploys. As misinformation spreads, readers are urged to exercise caution when consuming financial advice, especially in high-risk sectors like cryptocurrency.

This investigation follows previous reports of deceptive practices in media, including a case where a prominent PR firm operated a fake news site that plagiarized original journalism on a massive scale.

For more on media integrity, read: A Prominent PR Firm Is Running a Fake News Site That’s Plagiarizing Original Journalism at Incredible Scale.