Online conspiracy theorists twist singer’s COVID-19 death

CHICAGO (AP) — Conspiracy theorists are twisting facts online about country singer and Oklahoma native Joe Diffie’s death from COVID-19 complications. Facebook and Twitter users are making the false claims in order to further their theory that health officials are intentionally exaggerating the coronavirus pandemic’s threat.

Diffie, who topped the charts in the 1990s with honky-tonk singles including “Home” and “Pickup Man,” died on March 29th after testing positive for the virus. He was 61.

In the days following his death, Facebook and Twitter users posing as internet sleuths falsely claimed media reports hid that he had lung cancer. He did not.