No, Tafari Campbell’s mother didn’t accuse former President Barack Obama in her son’s death

Conspiracy theories about the recent drowning of Tafari Campbell, the Obama family’s personal chef, have proliferated online, each trying to connect the former president to a death police have said was accidental. 

"Mom of Barrack Obama’s chef speaks out to expose Obama family," reads the description of an Aug. 23 Facebook post, misspelling the former president’s first name.

A narrator in the post’s video expands on that claim. 

"In a tearful press conference, Tafari Campbell’s mother, Mrs. Loretta Campbell, addressed the media: ‘It’s with a heavy heart that I stand before you all today,’" the narrator says. "‘My son Tafari was not just a chef, he was a loving father, a caring husband, and my pride and joy. The pain of losing him is unbearable and the quest for truth has been agonizing. Based on the evidence I’ve seen and the testimonies I’ve heard, I believe that the Obamas, who my son served loyally for years, have a role in his tragic demise … I demand justice for Tafari and demand the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.’" 

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Threads posts

stated on October 26, 2024 in a Threads post

Four Florida counties had “zero results” Oct. 26, and “something underhanded might be happening.”

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We found no mention of Campbell’s mother in coverage about his death, nor could we confirm her name. We also found no news stories or other credible evidence that Campbell’s mother said such a thing or issued a public statement about his death or held a press conference. 

State police have said former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama weren’t home July 23 when Campbell, 45, was seen struggling in the water while paddleboarding near the Obamas’ Martha’s Vineyard summer home off the Massachusetts coast. His body was found the next day.

We rate this post False.