Award-Winning German Journalist Admits to Fabricating Over a Dozen Articles
Claas Relotius, a journalist at Der Spiegel, acknowledged that he had made up information in at least 14 stories since 2011.
Christian Charisius/Reuters
A top journalist at Der Spiegel, one of the biggest publications in Germany, was fired after admitting that he fabricated facts in at least 14 articles since 2011. On Wednesday, Der Spiegel said Claas Relotius, an award-winning reporter and editor at the publication, had included false information “on a grand scale and even invented characters, deceiving both readers and his colleagues.” Der Spiegel said he lied about information in riveting longform stories about Guantanamo, children in ISIS, and the American Southwest, making up quotes and creating composite characters. The Associated Press on Wednesday reported that CNN International would strip Relotius of several awards he won in 2014 for his work.
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