Misleading: DiCaprio Donates 10 Million to Ukraine
The Claim
Leonardo DiCaprio Donates $10 million to Ukraine.
News posted on
Emerging story
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a claim that actor Leonardo DiCaprio has donated $10 million to Ukraine has gone viral on social media. Some users did not specify who received the donation, while others specified that it was made to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the International Visegrad Fund. Several verified users and news websites also shared the claim.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. DiCaprio did not issue a statement stating that he made a $10 million donation, and neither the Ukrainian government nor the International Visegrad Fund stated that they received such an amount. On their Facebook page, the International Visegrad Fund stated that they did not receive a $10 million donation “from a famous American actor”.
The claim went viral despite the fact that two of the websites that first reported on it made corrections to their articles, as seen here and here. According to the Insider, DiCaprio has made private donations to several humanitarian organizations, including CARE, IRC, UNHCR, and Save the Children, all of which are assisting Ukraine. The source added that the actor “had been watching things unfold and wanted to support Ukraine the best he could. He will continue to support the humanitarian groups on the ground which are helping the people of Ukraine."
DiCaprio is known for his environmental and political activism and philanthropy. He is a messenger of peace for the United Nations and has a foundation that supports global projects that “build climate resilience, protect vulnerable wildlife, and restore balance to threatened ecosystems and communities.”
While the Misbar team confirms that DiCaprio did make direct donations to humanitarian organisations in Ukraine, the amount was not revealed.
