New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is allegedly using taxpayer money to fund a social media?

checkthis · automated fact-check · How we check · Reel by @morsereport

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces no criminal charges or investigation over City Hall's influencer Signal chat, despite claims in a viral video. Reports from Fox News and the Columbia Journalism Review confirm that City Hall uses a Signal chat to coordinate public messaging with 200 influencers, and that city agencies contract marketing firms that pay creators for specific municipal campaigns. However, influencers are not paid for participating in the chat, and no law enforcement agency has opened a criminal probe or filed charges against the mayor.

4 claims checked
1 source
Checked 9 Nov 2026
Main source: Zohran Mamdani uses Signal influencer chat that may break city law | Fox News

▶

The Reel we checked

@morsereport

🚨 BREAKING: MAMDANI’S 200-PERSON INFLUENCER ARMY — NYC TAXPAYERS FOOTING $5,000 TO $20,000 CAMPAIGNS VIA SIGNAL CHATS! New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is…

Watch on Instagram ↗

Red flags

Lapse

Government watchdog Reinvent Albany testified that NYC lacks practical archiving mechanisms for official records created on instant-messaging apps like Signal, raising record-keeping concerns.

“In testimony before the New York City Council earlier this month, the group warned that the city still lacks a practical way for agency Freedom of Information Law officers to archive or retrieve official records created on apps such as…” Mamdani's taxpayer-funded influencer army accused of plotting pressure campaign against NYC CEOs, 2026-09-30

The trick: Made with AI

It passes off an AI-made video, image or voice as real (known as ai-made video or image).

The video opens with an AI-generated synthetic image depicting Mayor Zohran Mamdani being arrested by FBI agents under text reading 'HE'S DONE'.

How this trick works and how to answer it →

What we checked

Fox News reported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani built an influencer network of 200 people to push City Hall talking points.“New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is giving special access to a network of approximately 200 social media influencers who take City Hall talking points and videos to promote municipal programs online”Zohran Mamdani uses Signal influencer chat that may break city law | Fox News

The network grew out of a campaign group called Creators for Zohran.“New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is giving special access to a network of approximately 200 social media influencers who take City Hall talking points and videos to promote municipal programs online”Zohran Mamdani uses Signal influencer chat that may break city law | Fox News

The network receives updates and talking points via an encrypted Signal group chat run by the city's director of new media.“New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is giving special access to a network of approximately 200 social media influencers who take City Hall talking points and videos to promote municipal programs online”Zohran Mamdani uses Signal influencer chat that may break city law | Fox News

Some influencers are paid between $5,000 and $20,000 per campaign through marketing firms contracted by city agencies.“New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is giving special access to a network of approximately 200 social media influencers who take City Hall talking points and videos to promote municipal programs online”Zohran Mamdani uses Signal influencer chat that may break city law | Fox News

What the Reel doesn't tell you

Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that his administration will always strive to fully comply with all legal requirements, including those relating to the preservation of city records (Fox News).
Mamdani stated that city government has a responsibility to communicate information directly to residents across all channels, including social media and content creators (Fox News).
The Columbia Journalism Review reported that City Hall uses an encrypted Signal chat, 'NYC Creators Announcements,' managed by the city's director of new media to distribute daily updates and talking points to ~200 influencers (Fox News).

How it plays you

It wants you to think: “New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is allegedly using taxpayer money to fund a social media influencer network pushing socialist propaganda, potentially facing criminal legal consequences.”

Standard municipal agency advertising contracts for public health, voting, and tenant outreach do not equal illegal funding of socialist propaganda or subject the mayor to federal criminal charges carrying 10 years in prison.

Short version

🔀 DOESN'T FOLLOW 👉 NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces no criminal charges or investigation over City Hall's influencer Signal chat. 👉 Reports show NYC contracts firms for campaigns, but influencers are not paid for the chat and no law agency has opened a probe. 🎭 Trick: Made with AI 🔎 Full check: send this Reel to @checkthis.chat