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World’s oldest tortoise caught in viral crypto death scam

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · · 417 words · By Helena Horton
digital fraud animal conservation
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What to know about digital fraud

At 194 years old, Jonathan, the giant tortoise, was a youngster when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne – and has now lived long enough to fall victim to a crypto scam.

Claims checked 10
Techniques found 1
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage
Left50%
Center50%
Right0%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

At 194 years old, Jonathan, the giant tortoise, was a youngster when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne – and has now lived long enough to fall victim to a crypto scam.

Why it matters

News outlets including the BBC, Daily Mail and USA Today falsely reported his death after an X account posing as Jonathan’s vet broke the news.

Common ground

The post, attributed to “Joe Hollins”, claimed: “Heartbroken to share that our beloved Jonathan, the world’s oldest living land animal, has passed away today peacefully on Saint Helena.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Doubt: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/02/worlds-oldest-tortoise-crypto-deat…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Doubt 95% confidence
Questioning the credibility of a source or claim without providing evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing doubt helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

help Insufficient Evidence 6
verified Verified By Reference 3
info Single Source 1
verified
Claim 1: “The post, attributed to 'Joe Hollins', claimed: 'Heartbroken to share that our beloved Jonathan, the world’s oldest living land animal, has passed away today peacefully on Saint Helena.'”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it verified by reference based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jonathan (hatched c. 1832) is a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), a subspecies of the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea). His age is estimated to be 193 as of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_(tortoise)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The coronation of Charles III and Camilla as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms took place on 6 May 2023. Approximately 2,200 people were invited to attend the even…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_guests_at_the_coronati…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — RMS St Helena is a cargo liner (carrying cargo and passengers) that served the British overseas territory of Saint Helena. She sailed between Cape Town and Saint Helena with regular shuttles continuin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_St_Helena_(1989)
help
Claim 2: “News outlets including the BBC, Daily Mail and USA Today falsely reported his death after an X account posing as Jonathan’s vet broke the news.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it insufficient evidence based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 3: “Though the post received 2m views and was reported as fact by the UK’s national broadcaster, checks by the Guardian revealed the account was based in Brazil.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it verified by reference based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Carli Anne Hollins (née Lloyd; born July 16, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008 and 2012), two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion (…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carli_Lloyd
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jonathan (hatched c. 1832) is a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), a subspecies of the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea). His age is estimated to be 193 as of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_(tortoise)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Super Bowl LX was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2025 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_LX
help
Claim 4: “A local celebrity, the tortoise has appeared on the reverse of Saint Helena’s 5p coin.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it insufficient evidence based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 5: “At 194 years old, Jonathan, the giant tortoise, was a youngster when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne – and has now lived long enough to fall victim to a crypto scam.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it verified by reference based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, died on 22 January 1901 at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, at the age of 81. At the time of her death, she …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_and_state_funeral_of_Que…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Victoria & Abdul is a 2017 biographical historical drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Lee Hall. The film is based on the book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_&_Abdul
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Victoria & Albert was a 2001 British-American historical television serial. It focused on the early life and marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The series starred Victoria Hamilton as Victo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_&_Albert_(TV_serial)
info
Claim 6: “Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, is the world’s oldest known land animal.”
SINGLE SOURCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it single source based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Jonathan met Sir Lindsay in 2024, when he was presented with a Guinness World Record certificate recognising him as the oldest known land animal in the world
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c393xmpzjwko?at_medium=RSS…
help
Claim 7: “Nigel Phillips, the governor, was getting ready for bed on Wednesday night when he was inundated with anxious messages. He got up and searched the grounds to check on the tortoise. 'Jonathan is asleep under a tree in the paddock,' he told the Guardian, adding that the animal was 'very much alive.'”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it insufficient evidence based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 8: “The real vet, who does not use X, said: 'Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive. I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations, so it’s not even an April fool joke. It’s a con.'”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it insufficient evidence based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 9: “He has lived on the grounds of the governor’s mansion on Saint Helena, since 1882, when he arrived as a gift to the South Atlantic island.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it insufficient evidence based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 10: “Despite being blind from cataracts and having lost his sense of smell, Jonathan remains hale and hearty with a strong appetite for bananas and a healthy libido – he tries to mate with two younger tortoises who also reside on the governor’s property.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it insufficient evidence based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.