Four Prolific Financial Journalists Appear to Be Fake
An investigation by Press Gazette found that four freelance writers with bylines in Forbes, Investing.com, HuffPost, CoinTelegraph, VentureBeat, and The Street do not appear to be real people. The four - identified as Nikolai Kuznetsov, Reuben Jackson, Luis Aureliano, and Joe Liebkind - have published more than 1,000 articles combined, all promoting specific cryptocurrencies.
Each writer's headshot is either AI-generated or sourced from stock photo libraries. None have any verifiable online presence outside their financial publishing work.
Connections to a PR Firm
All four writers show strong ties to MarketAcross, a publicity firm that describes itself as offering "PR for the world's leading blockchain companies." The writers consistently promoted cryptocurrencies represented by MarketAcross clients, including a failed coin called Gladius that collapsed in 2017.
A defunct website for Kuznetsov, the most prolific of the four, was registered under the same address as InboundJunction, a media and PR group with the same founders as MarketAcross.
No Verification From Publications
None of the outlets where these writers published could provide evidence that the freelancers were real people. The four writers did not respond to Press Gazette's questions about their identities.
A managing partner for MarketAcross and InboundJunction told Press Gazette: "We do not employ journalists, and our employees do not operate any of the profiles you referenced." The statement said any activity linked to these writers "appears to be years ago."
What This Means for Your Readers
This scheme suggests crypto marketers created fictional journalists to lend credibility to their clients' coins. The practice highlights a broader problem: distinguishing legitimate financial journalism from coordinated marketing.
Before publishing freelance work or directing readers to financial advice, verify contributor identities through multiple sources. Check for independent online presence, previous work history, and direct contact information outside the pitching platform.
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