The Making of a Fake War Hero: An American Who Reinvented Himself as a Social-Media Soldier in Ukraine Is Accused of ‘Stolen Valor’ – By Alia Shoaib (Business Insider) / July 16, 2023
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a 48-year-old American veteran and building contractor from Connecticut named James Vasquez was one of thousands of volunteers who went to join the fight.
He quickly became one of the most recognizable faces of the foreign fighters in Ukraine, often going viral with his battlefield updates and dramatic social-media posts purportedly from the front lines.
In his videos and posts, he bragged about capturing Russians and taking out tanks, was regularly interviewed by the news media, and made catchy claims including that he imagined the “punchable” Tucker Carlson when preparing for battle.
He gained more than 400,000 followers on Twitter and even got a shout-out from Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who called for his account to be verified.
