It was supposed to be a scoop but it turned to be a fake news story dismissed by those directly involved. Hollywood star Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson had made a one-million euro donation for an excavation site in Greece and Hanks was to be honored for this, the media reported.
Greek journalist and owner of a website Takis Haztis reported on Monday and Hollywood start Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson of Greek origin had donated one million euros for the excavation in the archaeological site of Despotiko, the small island south of Antiparos where the couple has a summer house.
For their generous donation, Hand and Wilson would be honored in a special ceremony at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Athens on October 6th 2018, Hatzis’ tweet said.
The news was reposted on several Greek news and lifestyle websites and blogs.
As soon as the new flew over the Atlantic and reached the alleged donors, Rita Wilson dismissed the news as a baseless claim and a false story.
Neither a donation was made, nor Tom Hanks was planning to attend the no-event, Wilson twitted.
To all my dear Greek friends,this is a false story. @tomhanks and I have no idea who this person is.Tom will not be attending this event nor have we donated to any of these causes. Not sure why people would post something untrue. #stavrosniarchosfoundation Perhaps you can check? https://t.co/n012PJwryk
— Rita Wilson (@RitaWilson) October 1, 2018
On Tuesday morning, Takis Hatzis apologized and said he re-posted the news he had read somewhere. “I apologize, I admit I didn’t imagine that somebody would post fakes news on such an issue.”
Αναδημοοσιευσα μια ειδηση που διαβασα σε σχεση με μια δωρεα που φεροταν να εχει κανει ο Τομ Χανκς. Οπως πληροφορηθηκα απο ενα tweet της ελληνοαμερικανιδας συζυγου του η ειδηση δεν ισχυει. Ζητω συγνωμη, ομολογω οτι δεν φανταστηκα οτι καποιος θα δημοσιευε fake news για κατι τετοιο.
— Takis Hatzis (@takishatzis) October 2, 2018
Hatzis did not mention the media source where he read the news.
A friend told to have seen this Hanks/Wilson donation/honor news on an English speaking website early Monday morning, but that the news item was already removed when the title link was clicked.
