Murder of Seth Rich

Rich grew up in a Jewish family in Omaha, Nebraska.{{cite news |url=http://www.omaha.com/obits/rich-seth-c/article_957ece9b-67c3-53d6-b88b-0c78d813b299.html |title=Rich, Seth C. |newspaper=Omaha World-Herald |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2016 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312160250/http://www.omaha.com/obits/rich-seth-c/article_957ece9b-67c3-53d6-b88b-0c78d813b299.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Hermann |first=Peter |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2016/07/12/hillary-clinton-invokes-name-of-slain-dnc-aide-seth-rich-in-calling-for-gun-control |title=Hillary Clinton invokes name of slain DNC aide Seth Rich in calling for gun control |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 12, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2016 |archive-date=August 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823211246/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2016/07/12/hillary-clinton-invokes-name-of-slain-dnc-aide-seth-rich-in-calling-for-gun-control/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|date=2017-05-24|title=Parents of slain DNC staffer Seth Rich decry politicization of their son's murder|agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|url=https://www.jta.org/2017/05/24/united-states/parents-of-slain-dnc-staffer-seth-rich-decry-politicization-of-their-sons-murder|access-date=July 19, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719045109/https://www.jta.org/2017/05/24/united-states/parents-of-slain-dnc-staffer-seth-rich-decry-politicization-of-their-sons-murder|url-status=live}} He volunteered for the Nebraska Democratic Party, interned for Senator Ben Nelson, was active in Jewish outreach,{{Cite news|date=2017-05-19|title=Seth Rich's family calls on Fox to retract WikiLeaks allegations|agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|work=The Times of Israel|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/seth-richs-family-calls-on-fox-to-retract-wikileaks-allegations/|access-date=July 19, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719072701/https://www.timesofisrael.com/seth-richs-family-calls-on-fox-to-retract-wikileaks-allegations/|url-status=live}} and worked with the United States Census Bureau.{{cite news |last=Morton |first=Joseph |url=http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/year-old-creighton-grad-dnc-staffer-shot-dead-in-d/article_023644eb-87b4-5c36-be7b-3edf96d02ebe.html |title=27-year-old Creighton grad, DNC staffer shot dead in D.C. wanted 'to try to save the world' |work=Omaha World-Herald |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-date=July 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701155540/http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/year-old-creighton-grad-dnc-staffer-shot-dead-in-d/article_023644eb-87b4-5c36-be7b-3edf96d02ebe.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|author=Abraham|first=Steven|date=July 22, 2016|title=In Memoriam: Seth Conrad Rich|work=The Jewish Press |location=Omaha|url=http://www.jewishomaha.org/jewish-press/2016/seth-conrad-rich/|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=August 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826102819/http://www.jewishomaha.org/jewish-press/2016/seth-conrad-rich/|url-status=live}} Eulogy given by Rabbi Steven Abraham of Beth El Synagogue at the service on July 13, 2016. In 2011, he graduated from Creighton University with a degree in political science.{{cite news |last=Orti |first=Camila |url=http://www.ketv.com/article/creighton-grad-living-in-d-c-killed-in-weekend-shooting/7661364 |title=Creighton grad living in D.C. killed in weekend shooting |date=July 12, 2016 |publisher=KETV |access-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-date=May 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530231427/http://www.ketv.com/article/creighton-grad-living-in-d-c-killed-in-weekend-shooting/7661364 |url-status=live }} He moved to Washington, D.C., to work for pollster Greenberg Quinlan Rosner. In 2014, he began working for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) as the voter expansion data director. One of his tasks at the DNC was the development of a computer application to help voters locate polling stations.{{cite news |author=Mallory Hughes |url=http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/dc/dc-man-fatally-shot-investigation-underway/269559837 |title=DNC Employee Fatally Shot in DC |publisher=WUSA |date=August 11, 2016 |access-date=September 2, 2016 |archive-date=September 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915211144/http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/dc/dc-man-fatally-shot-investigation-underway/269559837 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Rojas |first=Warren |title=DNC Staffer Killed in DC |url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/dnc-staffer-seth-conrad-rich-murder-dc |work=Roll Call |date=July 11, 2016 |access-date=September 2, 2016 |archive-date=September 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912004757/http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/dnc-staffer-seth-conrad-rich-murder-dc |url-status=live }}

On Sunday, July 10, 2016, at 4:20 a.m., Rich was shot about a block from his apartment at the southwest corner of Flagler Place and W Street Northwest{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bloomingdale-residents-question-police-after-killing-robberies-in-neighborhood/2016/07/19/99ce212c-4dab-11e6-a7d8-13d06b37f256_story.html|title=Bloomingdale residents question police after killing, robberies in neighborhood|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-date=September 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911212445/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bloomingdale-residents-question-police-after-killing-robberies-in-neighborhood/2016/07/19/99ce212c-4dab-11e6-a7d8-13d06b37f256_story.html|url-status=live}} in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, D.C.{{cite news |last=Stein |first=Jeff |title=Seth Rich: Inside the Killing of the DNC Staffer |url=http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-murder-dnc-hack-julian-assange-hillary-clinton-donald-trump-492084 |work=Newsweek |date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=August 20, 2016 |archive-date=August 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821071959/http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-murder-dnc-hack-julian-assange-hillary-clinton-donald-trump-492084 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Seth-Rich-Murder-Investigation-389218672.html |title=Mother, Police Seeking Tips on Killing of DNC Staffer Seth Rich |work=NBC |date=August 5, 2016 |access-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810153710/http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Seth-Rich-Murder-Investigation-389218672.html |url-status=live }}

Earlier that night, he had been at Lou's City Bar, a sports pub {{convert|1.8|mi|km}} from his apartment, in Columbia Heights, where he was a regular customer. He left when the bar was closing, at about 1:30 or 1:45 a.m.{{cite news |first=Clark |last=Mindock |title=Who is Seth Rich – and was his death really connected to Hillary Clinton? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/seth-rich-who-is-he-wikileaks-murder-hillary-clinton-conspiracy-explained-a7739606.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/seth-rich-who-is-he-wikileaks-murder-hillary-clinton-conspiracy-explained-a7739606.html |archive-date=June 18, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Independent |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date=May 22, 2017}} Police were alerted to gunfire at 4:20 a.m. by an automated gunfire locator.{{cite news |last1=Hermann |first1=Peter |last2=Williams |first2=Clarence |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-identify-man-fatally-shot-in-bloomingdale/2016/07/11/4236fd1a-4754-11e6-90a8-fb84201e0645_story.html |title=Slain Democratic National Committee staffer 'wanted to make a difference' |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 11, 2016 |access-date=August 13, 2016 |archive-date=August 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819145019/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-identify-man-fatally-shot-in-bloomingdale/2016/07/11/4236fd1a-4754-11e6-90a8-fb84201e0645_story.html |url-status=live }} Less than one minute after the gunfire, police officers found Rich conscious with gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died{{Cite web |url=https://mpdc.dc.gov/release/homicide-2100-block-flagler-place-northwest |title=Homicide: 2100 Block of Flagler Place, Northwest {{!}} mpdc |date=July 11, 2016 |publisher=Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia |access-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-date=May 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528033009/https://mpdc.dc.gov/release/homicide-2100-block-flagler-place-northwest |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/seth-rich-washington-dc-murder-victim-political-meme-weirdest-presidential-election-a7535856.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/seth-rich-washington-dc-murder-victim-political-meme-weirdest-presidential-election-a7535856.html |archive-date=June 18, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=The DC murder victim who became a political meme |last=Roig-Franzia |first=Manuel |date=January 19, 2017 |work=The Independent |access-date=May 25, 2017 }}{{cite news |last=Khan |first=Mariam |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dnc-employee-shot-dead-dc-weekend/story?id=40498551 |title=DNC Employee Shot Dead in DC Over the Weekend |work=ABC News |date=June 11, 2020 |access-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611100604/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dnc-employee-shot-dead-dc-weekend/story?id=40498551 |url-status=live }} over {{frac|1|1|2}} hours after being shot.{{cite web |last=Isikoff |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Isikoff |title=How a 'slick talker' lobbyist boosted the false Seth Rich murder conspiracy - before getting shot himself |work=Yahoo News |date=July 16, 2019 |url=https://news.yahoo.com/conspiracyland-jack-burkmans-role-in-the-seth-rich-conspiracy-100000544.html |access-date=July 20, 2019 |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719120644/https://news.yahoo.com/conspiracyland-jack-burkmans-role-in-the-seth-rich-conspiracy-100000544.html |url-status=live }} That he was not shot in the head is seen as evidence against the shooting having been an "assassination". According to police, he died from two shots to the back and may have been killed in an attempted robbery. Residents noted the neighborhood had been plagued by robberies.

Rich's mother told NBC's Washington affiliate WRC-TV: "There had been a struggle. His hands were bruised, his knees are bruised, his face is bruised, and yet he had two shots to his back, and yet they never took anything ... They didn't finish robbing him, they just took his life."{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-Shot-Killed-in-Northwest-DC-386316391.html |title=27-Year-Old DNC Staffer Seth Rich Shot, Killed in Northwest DC |date=July 11, 2016 |last1=Collins |first1=Pat |last2=Swalec |first2=Andrea |work=NBC |access-date=January 5, 2017 |archive-date=January 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105021957/http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-Shot-Killed-in-Northwest-DC-386316391.html |url-status=live }} The police told the family they had found a surveillance recording showing a glimpse of the legs of two people who could be the killers.

On the day after the shooting, DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued a statement mourning his loss and praising Rich's work to support voter rights. Two days after the shooting, Hillary Clinton spoke of his death during a speech advocating limiting the availability of guns.

File:Seth Rich memorial.jpg

In September 2016, Rich's parents and girlfriend appeared on the syndicated television show Crime Watch Daily to speak about the murder case.{{cite news |url=http://komonews.com/news/nation-world/family-of-murdered-dnc-employee-seth-rich-speaks-out-on-crime-watch |title=Family of murdered DNC employee Seth Rich speaks out on 'Crime Watch' |publisher=KOMO-TV |date=September 30, 2016 |access-date=October 4, 2016 |archive-date=October 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161004160517/http://komonews.com/news/nation-world/family-of-murdered-dnc-employee-seth-rich-speaks-out-on-crime-watch |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Kurzius |first=Rachel |url=https://dcist.com/story/16/10/03/seth-rich-family-interview/ |title=Murdered DNC Staffer's Mom: 'Seth Would Be So Offended' By Conspiracy Theories |work=DCist |date=October 3, 2016 |access-date=May 31, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003165726/http://dcist.com/2016/10/seth_rich_family_interview.php |archive-date=October 3, 2016 }} In October 2016, a plaque and bike rack outside the DNC headquarters were dedicated to Rich's memory.{{cite news |last=Burdine |first=Nikki |url=http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/dnc-honors-murdered-staffer-seth-rich/337062646 |title=DNC honors murdered staffer Seth Rich |publisher=WUSA |date=October 17, 2016 |access-date=October 19, 2016 |archive-date=October 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019144311/http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/dnc-honors-murdered-staffer-seth-rich/337062646 |url-status=live }} In February 2017, the Beth El Synagogue in Omaha named after Rich an existing scholarship that helps Jewish children attend summer camps.{{cite news |last=Kelly |first=Michael |url=http://www.omaha.com/columnists/kelly/kelly-camp-scholarship-memorializes-omahan-seth-rich-who-was-killed/article_e3bdbe5d-ca21-5903-9ec0-9239ae56773c.html |title=Kelly: Camp scholarship memorializes Omahan Seth Rich, who was killed in D.C. in July |date=February 25, 2017 |work=Omaha World-Herald |access-date=February 26, 2017 |archive-date=February 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225202156/http://www.omaha.com/columnists/kelly/kelly-camp-scholarship-memorializes-omahan-seth-rich-who-was-killed/article_e3bdbe5d-ca21-5903-9ec0-9239ae56773c.html |url-status=live }}

The Rich family accepted the pro bono public relations services of Republican lobbyist Jack Burkman in September 2016. The Rich family and Burkman held a joint press conference on the murder in November 2016.{{cite news |last=Guttman |first=Nathan |url=http://forward.com/fast-forward/364918/fury-at-conspiracy-theory-attorney-from-family-of-murdered-dnc-staffer/ |title=Seth Rich's Family Furious At Attorney For Claiming Russia Behind The Murder |work=The Forward |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=May 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516005342/http://forward.com/fast-forward/364918/fury-at-conspiracy-theory-attorney-from-family-of-murdered-dnc-staffer/ |url-status=live }} In January 2017, Burkman launched an advertising campaign in Northwest D.C. searching for information regarding Seth's death. This included billboard advertisements and canvassing with flyers.{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Who-Murdered-Seth-Rich-Billboards-Ads-to-be-Posted-in-Search-of-Killer-411119145.html |title='Who Murdered Seth Rich?': Billboards to be Posted in DC |website=WRC-TV |date=January 18, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707010458/http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Who-Murdered-Seth-Rich-Billboards-Ads-to-be-Posted-in-Search-of-Killer-411119145.html |url-status=live }}{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX8cLniIfOI |title=Searching for clues in the Seth Rich murder |date=May 11, 2017 |publisher=The Washington Post |access-date=May 27, 2017 |via=YouTube |archive-date=June 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602214439/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX8cLniIfOI |url-status=live }} In late February, Burkman told media outlets he had a lead that the Russian government was involved in Rich's death,{{cite web |last=Guttman |first=Nathan |url=http://forward.com/fast-forward/364499/was-russia-behind-mystery-murder-of-dnc-worker-seth-rich/ |title=Was Russia Behind Mystery Murder Of DNC Worker Seth Rich? |work=Forward |date=March 1, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601051128/http://forward.com/fast-forward/364499/was-russia-behind-mystery-murder-of-dnc-worker-seth-rich/ |url-status=live }} and the Rich family then distanced itself from Burkman.{{cite web |last=Kurzius |first=Rachel |url=http://dcist.com/2017/03/seth_rich_russian_conspiracy_burkman.php |title='It's Hurtful': Seth Rich's Family Responds To Latest Conspiracy Theory About His Murder |work=DCist |date=March 2, 2017 |access-date=June 1, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714232639/http://dcist.com/2017/03/seth_rich_russian_conspiracy_burkman.php |archive-date=July 14, 2017 }} On March 19, 2017, Rich's brother, Aaron, started a GoFundMe campaign to try to raise $200,000 for private investigation, public outreach activities, and a reward fund.{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Seth-Rich-Family-Seeks-Funds-to-Hire-Help-in-Mans-Death-416770403.html |title=Family Seeks Funds for Answers, Leads in Seth Rich Death |publisher=WRC-TV |access-date=March 22, 2017 |archive-date=March 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323143933/http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Seth-Rich-Family-Seeks-Funds-to-Hire-Help-in-Mans-Death-416770403.html |url-status=live }}

The Rich family was approached by Ed Butowsky (a friend of Trump advisor Steve Bannon and a frequent Fox News contributor), who recommended having Fox News contributor and former homicide detective Rod Wheeler investigate Seth's murder. Butowsky said Wheeler had been recommended to him. The family gave Wheeler permission to investigate, though they did not hire him.{{cite web |last=Collins |first=Ben |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/05/16/the-big-money-pr-war-over-seth-richs-death |title=The Big-Money PR War Over Seth Rich's Death |date=May 16, 2017 |work=The Daily Beast |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524075722/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/05/16/the-big-money-pr-war-over-seth-richs-death |url-status=live}} When questioned by CNN, Butowsky denied involvement in the case, but later admitted he was involved and had offered to pay Wheeler's fees.{{cite web |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2017/05/19/dallas-financier-got-tangled-conspiracy-theories-slaying-dnc-staffer-seth-rich |title=How a Dallas financier got tangled up in conspiracy theories about slaying of DNC staffer Seth Rich |last=Chiquillo |first=Julieta |date=May 19, 2017 |work=Dallas News |access-date=May 31, 2017 |archive-date=May 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519173751/https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2017/05/19/dallas-financier-got-tangled-conspiracy-theories-slaying-dnc-staffer-seth-rich |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Rutenberg |first=Jim |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/business/media/seth-rich-fox-news-sean-hannity.html |title=Sean Hannity, a Murder and Why Fake News Endures |date=May 24, 2017 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 31, 2017 |archive-date=March 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328160625/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/business/media/seth-rich-fox-news-sean-hannity.html |url-status=live}} After Wheeler asserted links between Rich and Wikileaks in a Fox affiliate interview on May 15, 2017—an assertion he later backpedaled from{{cite web |date=May 15, 2017 |last=Marraco |first=Marina |title=Family's private investigator: There is evidence Seth Rich had contact with WikiLeaks prior to death |url=http://www.fox5dc.com/news/local-news/254852337-story |access-date=June 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613004646/http://www.fox5dc.com/news/local-news/254852337-story |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |url-status=dead}}—the family spokesman said that the family regretted working with Wheeler. Wheeler then sued Fox News on August 1, 2017, for mental anguish and emotional distress, alleging that he had been misquoted in a story that was then published on the urging of Trump.{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/344745-lawsuit-claims-trump-involvement-in-retracted-fox-story-on-seth-rich/ |title=Lawsuit claims Trump involvement in retracted Fox story on Seth Rich |first=Ian |last=Swanson |date=August 1, 2017 |work=The Hill |access-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802014542/http://thehill.com/homenews/media/344745-lawsuit-claims-trump-involvement-in-retracted-fox-story-on-seth-rich |url-status=live }}

The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPDC) posted its customary reward of $25,000 for information about the death.{{cite news |author=Harris, Chris |url=http://www.people.com/article/friends-remember-dnc-staffer-seth-rich |title=Friends of Slain DNC Staffer Seth Rich Remember Him as 'Honest' and 'Self-Sacrificing' |work=People |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=August 12, 2016 |archive-date=July 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160717145016/http://www.people.com/article/friends-remember-dnc-staffer-seth-rich |url-status=live }}

On August 9, 2016, WikiLeaks announced a $20,000 reward for information about Rich's murder leading to a conviction.{{cite news |first=Stephen |last=Tschida |title=WikiLeaks offering $20,000 reward for information regarding D.C. murder of DNC's Seth Rich |url=http://wjla.com/news/local/wikileaks-offering-20000-reward-for-information-regarding-dc-murder-of-dncs-seth-rich |publisher=WJLA-TV |date=August 9, 2016 |access-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521035309/http://wjla.com/news/local/wikileaks-offering-20000-reward-for-information-regarding-dc-murder-of-dncs-seth-rich |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Hermann |first1=Peter |last2=Williams |first2=Clarence |date=August 9, 2016 |title=WikiLeaks offers reward for help finding DNC staffer's killer |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/wikileaks-offers-reward-in-killing-of-dnc-staffer-in-washington/2016/08/09/f84fcbf4-5e5b-11e6-8e45-477372e89d78_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-date=May 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520231824/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/wikileaks-offers-reward-in-killing-of-dnc-staffer-in-washington/2016/08/09/f84fcbf4-5e5b-11e6-8e45-477372e89d78_story.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=August 10, 2016 |publisher=Fox News |title=Assange implies murdered DNC staffer was WikiLeaks' source |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/assange-implies-murdered-dnc-staffer-was-wikileaks-source |access-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521124352/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/08/10/assange-implies-murdered-dnc-staffer-was-wikileaks-source.html |url-status=live}} Rich's family said they were unable to verify this reward offer.{{cite news |url=http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/parents-of-dnc-staffer-seth-rich-vow-to-find-his/article_b55fc7c9-e5d7-5e25-9e80-c7d2a264441b.html |title=Parents of DNC staffer Seth Rich vow to find his killer; reward now $125,000 |last=Morton |first=Joseph |date=November 23, 2016 |work=Omaha World Herald |access-date=January 23, 2017 |archive-date=November 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113164242/http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/parents-of-dnc-staffer-seth-rich-vow-to-find-his/article_b55fc7c9-e5d7-5e25-9e80-c7d2a264441b.html |url-status=live}} WikiLeaks stated that this offer should not be taken as implying Rich had been involved in leaking information to it.

In November 2016, Republican lobbyist Jack Burkman said he was personally offering a $100,000 reward in addition to those announced by the police department and WikiLeaks, and he added another $5,000 to his offer in December and another $25,000 in January.{{cite news |last=Roig-Franzia |first=Manuel |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/seth-rich-wasnt-just-another-dc-murder-victim-he-was-a-meme-in-the-weirdest-presidential-election-of-our-times/2017/01/18/ee8e27f8-dcc0-11e6-918c-99ede3c8cafa_story.html |title=Seth Rich wasn't just another D.C. murder victim. He was a meme in the weirdest presidential election of our times |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 18, 2017 |access-date=January 20, 2017 |archive-date=January 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119075134/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/seth-rich-wasnt-just-another-dc-murder-victim-he-was-a-meme-in-the-weirdest-presidential-election-of-our-times/2017/01/18/ee8e27f8-dcc0-11e6-918c-99ede3c8cafa_story.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://wjla.com/news/local/gop-lobbyist-adds-5k-to-reward-for-info-on-murder-of-former-dnc-staffer-seth-rich |title=GOP lobbyist adds $5K to reward for info on murder of former DNC staffer Seth Rich |publisher=WJLA-TV |date=December 5, 2016 |access-date=May 28, 2017 |archive-date=May 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515054126/http://wjla.com/news/local/gop-lobbyist-adds-5k-to-reward-for-info-on-murder-of-former-dnc-staffer-seth-rich |url-status=live }} Burkman said he hoped the money would help "get to the truth of what happened here and will either debunk the conspiracy theories or validate them."{{cite news |last=Kutner |first=Max |url=http://www.newsweek.com/gop-lobbyist-reward-seth-rich-dnc-499653 |title=A GOP lobbyist will pay $100,000 to learn who killed DNC staffer Seth Rich |date=September 16, 2016 |work=Newsweek |access-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525014348/http://www.newsweek.com/gop-lobbyist-reward-seth-rich-dnc-499653 |url-status=live }}

Political conspiracy theories and racially charged comments started to appear on social media the day after Rich's death.{{cite news|last=Heat Street Staff|url=https://heatst.com/politics/dnc-staffer-seth-rich-shot-dead-conspiracy-theories/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712192454/https://heatst.com/politics/dnc-staffer-seth-rich-shot-dead-conspiracy-theories/ |title= Beloved DNC Staffer Seth Rich Shot Dead in the Back in DC, Just Hours After Calling For Dallas Unity; Conspiracy Theories Abound |website=Heat Street|archive-date=July 12, 2016|access-date=July 13, 2019}}{{cite web|last=Bump|first=Philip|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/09/dont-blame-seth-rich-conspiracy-russians-blame-americans/|title=Don't blame the Seth Rich conspiracy on Russians. Blame Americans.|date=July 9, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=July 13, 2019|archive-date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710212554/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/09/dont-blame-seth-rich-conspiracy-russians-blame-americans/|url-status=live}} Within days, right-wing conspiracy theories began circulating, including false claims that his murder was connected to the DNC email leak of 2016 or the FBI's investigation of the Clinton Foundation.{{cite web |first=Kim |last=LaCapria |url=http://www.snopes.com/seth-conrad-rich/ |title=Seth Rich Homicide |publisher=Snopes.com |date=July 14, 2016 |access-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125112743/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/seth-conrad-rich/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Whitehouse |first=John |url=https://www.salon.com/2017/05/27/how-the-murder-of-a-dnc-staffer-turned-into-a-right-wing-conspiracy_partner/ |title=How the murder of a DNC staffer turned into a right-wing conspiracy |date=May 27, 2017 |work=Salon |access-date=March 14, 2018 |archive-date=March 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314104649/https://www.salon.com/2017/05/27/how-the-murder-of-a-dnc-staffer-turned-into-a-right-wing-conspiracy_partner/ |url-status=live }}

A post on Twitter before Rich's memorial service spread the idea that his killing was a political assassination.{{cite news |url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/05/is-this-even-about-seth-rich-at-all.html |work=New York |title=Is This Even About Seth Rich at All? |first=Olivia |last=Nuzzi |date=May 28, 2017 |access-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601002736/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/05/is-this-even-about-seth-rich-at-all.html |url-status=live }} Subsequently, the conspiracy theory was spread on the subreddit /r/The Donald, and on July 29, 2016, the website Heat Street reported on these Reddit posts.{{cite news |last=Zanotti |first=Emily |url=http://heatst.com:80/politics/still-no-clues-in-murder-of-dncs-seth-rich-as-conspiracy-theories-thicken/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160930120844/http://heatst.com/politics/still-no-clues-in-murder-of-dncs-seth-rich-as-conspiracy-theories-thicken/ |title=Dem Aide Seth Rich's Death Still Inspiring Conspiracy Theories |url-status=dead |date=July 29, 2016 |archive-date=September 30, 2016 |work=Heat Street |access-date=March 14, 2018 |df=mdy-all}} Reddit users attempted to tie the homicide to the Clinton body count conspiracy theory.{{cite web |url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/24/15685560/seth-rich-conspiracy-theory-explained-fox-news-hannity |publisher=Vox.com |title=The bonkers Seth Rich conspiracy theory, explained |date=May 24, 2017 |first=Jeff |last=Guo |access-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-date=June 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612231945/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/24/15685560/seth-rich-conspiracy-theory-explained-fox-news-hannity |url-status=live }} The conspiracy theory was later popularized by Donald Trump political adviser Roger Stone via his Twitter account.

According to British journalist Duncan Campbell, the Russian intelligence agency, GRU, tried to implicate Rich as the source of the stolen DNC emails in order to draw attention away from themselves as the real perpetrators of the theft.{{cite news |last=Campbell |first=Duncan |url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252445769/Briton-ran-pro-Kremlin-disinformation-campaign-that-helped-Trump-deny-Russian-links |title=Briton ran pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign that helped Trump deny Russian links |date=July 31, 2018 |publisher=Computer Weekly |access-date=October 31, 2018 |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031105221/https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252445769/Briton-ran-pro-Kremlin-disinformation-campaign-that-helped-Trump-deny-Russian-links |url-status=live }} Datestamps on the DNC files were altered to show the data had been obtained on July 5, 2016, five days before Rich's death, and the time zone was changed to Eastern Time, within which Washington, D.C., falls. Guccifer 2.0, the alleged GRU front that provided the emails to Wikileaks, then reported that Rich had been their source. Based partly on their acceptance of the false dates, some experts then concluded that the emails had been copied in the DNC offices, and had not been hacked from outside.{{Cite web |last=Tucker |first=Patrick |date=2018-08-02 |title=How Russian Hackers Amplified the Seth Rich Conspiracy Until it Reached Donald Trump and the CIA |url=https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2018/08/how-russian-hackers-amplified-seth-rich-conspiracy-until-it-reached-donald-trump-and-cia/150263/ |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Defense One |language=en}}

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, fueled the speculation in an interview with Nieuwsuur published on August 9, 2016, which touched on the topic of risks faced by WikiLeaks' sources.{{cite web |url=https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2124316-assange-belooft-nieuwe-onthullingen-over-clinton.html |title=Assange belooft nieuwe onthullingen over Clinton |last=Nieuwsuur |date=August 9, 2016 |language=nl |publisher=Nieuwsuur |via=YouTube |access-date=March 18, 2018 |archive-date=March 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319084947/https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2124316-assange-belooft-nieuwe-onthullingen-over-clinton.html |url-status=live }} Unbidden, Assange brought up the case of Seth Rich. When asked directly whether Rich was a source, Assange said "we don't comment on who our sources are".{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp7FkLBRpKg |title=Julian Assange on Seth Rich |last=Nieuwsuur |date=August 9, 2016 |via=YouTube |access-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802061038/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp7FkLBRpKg |url-status=live }} Subsequent statements by WikiLeaks emphasized that the organization was not naming Rich as a source.{{cite news |last=Morton |first=Joseph |url=http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/wikileaks-offers-reward-for-help-finding-omaha-native-seth-rich/article_cfb287bc-5e98-11e6-ae0c-8b471b8cbfbb.html |title=WikiLeaks offers $20,000 reward for help finding Omaha native Seth Rich's killer |work=Omaha World-Herald |date=August 10, 2016 |access-date=February 11, 2018 |archive-date=August 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822023506/http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/wikileaks-offers-reward-for-help-finding-omaha-native-seth-rich/article_cfb287bc-5e98-11e6-ae0c-8b471b8cbfbb.html |url-status=live}}

According to the Mueller Report, WikiLeaks had received an email containing an encrypted file named "wk dnc link I .txt.gpg" from the Guccifer 2.0 GRU persona on July 14, which was four days after Seth Rich died.[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419072437/https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |date=April 19, 2019}}, vol. I, p. 46: On July 14, 2016, GRU officers used a Guccifer 2.0 email account to send WikiLeaks an email bearing the subject "big archive" and the message "a new attempt."163 The email contained an encrypted attachment with the name "wk dnc link I .txt.gpg."{{cite web |last=Mueller |first=Robert S. |title=Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election |url=https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5955240/Full-Mueller-Report.pdf |access-date=19 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419142638/https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5955240/Full-Mueller-Report.pdf |archive-date=April 19, 2019}}{{cite news |last=Poulsen |first=Kevin |title=Mueller Report: Assange Smeared Seth Rich to Cover for Russians |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/mueller-report-julian-assange-smeared-seth-rich-to-cover-for-russians |access-date=19 April 2019 |agency=The Daily Beast |date=18 April 2019 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419141652/https://www.thedailybeast.com/mueller-report-julian-assange-smeared-seth-rich-to-cover-for-russians |url-status=live}} In April 2018, Twitter direct messages revealed that even as Assange was suggesting publicly that WikiLeaks had obtained emails from Seth Rich, Assange was trying to obtain more emails from Guccifer 2.0, who was at the time already suspected of being linked to Russian intelligence. BuzzFeed described the messages as "the starkest proof yet that Assange knew a likely Russian government hacker had the Democrat leaks he wanted. And they reveal the deliberate bad faith with which Assange fed the groundless claims that Rich was his source, even as he knew the documents' origin."{{cite news |last=Collier |first=Kevin |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/kevincollier/assange-seth-rich-lies-guccifer-wikileaks-hannity |title=These Messages Show Julian Assange Talked About Seeking Hacked Files From Guccifer 2.0 |work=BuzzFeed News |date=April 5, 2018 |access-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407183359/https://www.buzzfeed.com/kevincollier/assange-seth-rich-lies-guccifer-wikileaks-hannity |url-status=live}} Mike Gottlieb, a lawyer for Rich's brother, noted that WikiLeaks received the file of stolen documents from the Russian hackers on July 14, four days after Rich was shot. Gottlieb described the chronology as "damning".{{cite news |last=Mervosh |first=Sarah |title=Seth Rich Was Not Source of Leaked D.N.C. Emails, Mueller Report Confirms |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/20/us/mueller-report-seth-rich-assange.html |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |date=20 April 2019 |access-date=24 April 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190420203507/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/20/us/mueller-report-seth-rich-assange.html |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |issn=0362-4331}}

{{quoteblock|Julian Assange not only knew that a murdered Democratic National Committee staffer wasn't his source for thousands of hacked party emails, he was in active contact with his real sources in Russia's GRU months after Seth Rich's death. At the same time he was publicly working to shift blame onto the slain staffer “to obscure the source of the materials he was releasing,” Special Counsel Robert Mueller asserts in his final report on Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election.}}

The conspiracy theories were promoted by Mike Cernovich, Sean Hannity, Geraldo Rivera, Kim Dotcom, Paul Joseph Watson, Newt Gingrich, Jack Posobiec, Tim Pool,{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |last2=Alba |first2=Monica |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/conspiracy-theorists-far-right-agitators-head-white-house-social-media-n1028576 |title=Conspiracy theorists, far-right agitators head to White House with social media in their sights |work=NBC |date=July 11, 2019 |access-date=August 24, 2021 |archive-date=July 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713102944/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/conspiracy-theorists-far-right-agitators-head-white-house-social-media-n1028576 |url-status=live }} and others.{{Cite web |last=Cooke |first=Henry |date=May 18, 2017 |title=In Pro-Trump media land, the last week's been irrelevant or just 'fake news' |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/donald-trumps-america/92735833/in-protrump-media-land-the-last-weeks-been-irrelevant-or-just-fake-news |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001164052/http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/donald-trumps-america/92735833/in-protrump-media-land-the-last-weeks-been-irrelevant-or-just-fake-news |archive-date=October 1, 2017 |access-date=May 26, 2017 |website=Stuff}}{{cite news |last=Kutner |first=Max |date=May 17, 2017 |title=The FBI is not investigating DNC staffer Seth Rich's murder, despite WikiLeaks claim |url=http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-dnc-staffer-wikileaks-leaked-emails-fbi-610383 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525181611/http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-dnc-staffer-wikileaks-leaked-emails-fbi-610383 |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |access-date=May 26, 2017 |work=Newsweek}}{{cite news |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/janelytvynenko/jack-posobiec-out-at-the-rebel |title=Pro-Trump Media Figure And Conspiracy Theory Peddler Jack Posobiec Is Out At The Rebel |publisher=BuzzFeed |date=May 29, 2017 |first=Jane |last=Lytvynenko |access-date=June 23, 2017 |archive-date=June 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610172033/https://www.buzzfeed.com/janelytvynenko/jack-posobiec-out-at-the-rebel |url-status=live}}

The same venues that fomented the false Pizzagate conspiracy theory helped to promulgate the Seth Rich murder conspiracy theories,{{cite news |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 24, 2017 |title=How Seth Rich's death became an Internet conspiracy theory |url=http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-seth-rich-conspiracy-20170523-htmlstory.html |first=Colleen |last=Shalby |quote=Despite police statements and Rich's family concluding that his death was the result of an attempted robbery, the rumor spread within the same circles that churned out the bogus 'PizzaGate' story |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529184553/http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-seth-rich-conspiracy-20170523-htmlstory.html |url-status=live }}{{citation |first=Ed |last=Stetzer |work=Christianity Today |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2017/may/christians-repent-conspiracy-theory-fake-news.html |title=Christians, Repent (Yes, Repent) of Spreading Conspiracy Theories and Fake News—It's Bearing False Witness |date=May 31, 2017 |quote=And now I noticed that many of the same conservative Christians who shared about #pizzagate have been spreading the #SethRich conspiracy theory. |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603032411/http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2017/may/christians-repent-conspiracy-theory-fake-news.html |url-status=live }} and each shared similar features.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-conspiratorial-tale-of-murder-with-fox-news-at-the-center/2017/05/17/6a4d1f5a-3b14-11e7-a058-ddbb23c75d82_story.html |title=A conspiratorial tale of murder, with Fox News at the center |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=May 17, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 18, 2017 |quote=The Rich story has taken on elements of the Comet Ping Pong conspiracy, a false and preposterous tale involving Hillary Clinton and her supposed operation of a child-abuse ring at a District pizza restaurant. |archive-date=May 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518001825/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-conspiratorial-tale-of-murder-with-fox-news-at-the-center/2017/05/17/6a4d1f5a-3b14-11e7-a058-ddbb23c75d82_story.html |url-status=live }}{{citation |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/critics-notebook-sean-hannity-returns-talk-not-talking-044105050.html |last=Scheck |first=Frank |date=May 31, 2017 |title=Critic's Notebook: Sean Hannity Returns to Talk About Not Talking About the Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory |quote=So it's only a matter of time before another lunatic, like the one who showed up with a loaded weapon after Pizzagate, becomes inspired to deliver vigilante-style justice. |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=August 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802090315/https://www.yahoo.com/news/critics-notebook-sean-hannity-returns-talk-not-talking-044105050.html |url-status=live }}{{citation |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fox-vulgar-coverage-of-murdered-dnc-staffer-is-nothing_us_591f02f5e4b0e8f558bb25b6 |work=The Huffington Post |title=Fox's Vulgar Coverage Of A Murdered DNC Staffer Is Nothing New |date=May 19, 2017 |first=Eric |last=Boehlert |quote=Basically, it was the 'alt-right' idiocy of Pizzagate all over again. |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601152322/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fox-vulgar-coverage-of-murdered-dnc-staffer-is-nothing_us_591f02f5e4b0e8f558bb25b6 |url-status=live }} Both were promoted by individuals subscribing to far-right politics,{{citation |url=http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/the-online-radicalization-were-not-talking-about.html |work=New York |quote=If you've read this week's conspiracy-mongering stories about the supposedly suspicious death of DNC employee Seth Rich — or if you've read in the past about the rise of White Student Unions on college campuses, or 'Pizzagate' — you've seen the fruits of their efforts. |title=The Online Radicalization We're Not Talking About |first=Alice |last=Marwick |date=May 18, 2017 |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605001126/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/the-online-radicalization-were-not-talking-about.html |url-status=live }} and by campaign officials and individuals appointed to senior-level national security roles by Donald Trump.{{citation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/schooled-on-benghazi-and-pizzagate-trump-team-is-heavy-on-conspiracy-theorists/2016/12/21/53bdb6d6-c7b1-11e6-8bee-54e800ef2a63_story.html |work=The New York Times |title=Schooled on Benghazi and Pizzagate, Trump team is heavy on conspiracy theorists |first=Elise |last=Viebeck |date=December 22, 2016 |quote=Many of Trump's highest-level appointees have a history of publicly promoting conspiratorial, outlandish and fringe beliefs, particularly about Muslims, the Clinton family and the environment — unproven narratives that remain stubbornly alive on the Internet despite being debunked by the mainstream media. |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=July 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731043123/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/schooled-on-benghazi-and-pizzagate-trump-team-is-heavy-on-conspiracy-theorists/2016/12/21/53bdb6d6-c7b1-11e6-8bee-54e800ef2a63_story.html |url-status=live }}{{citation |first=Noah |last=Lanard |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/05/17/fox-5-seth-rich-story-disintegrated-made-no-sense/ |title=Fox 5's Nonsensical Seth Rich Story Managed to Disintegrate in a Way That Made No Sense |work=Washingtonian |quote=After being forced out of the Trump administration for promoting the Comet Ping Pong conspiracy theory, Michael Flynn Jr., the son of the former National Security Adviser, tweeted, 'So many stories to take away from the #SethRich bombshell.' |date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517171201/https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/05/17/fox-5-seth-rich-story-disintegrated-made-no-sense/ |url-status=live }}{{citation |url=http://www.salon.com/2017/05/24/donald-trump-must-be-getting-desperate-does-he-really-think-thuggish-corey-lewandowski-can-save-him/ |work=Salon |quote=Seth Rich saga, which has the right-wing media in a full-blown frenzy. ... It has all the hallmarks of a Bossie-style hit although the inane Pizzagate conspiracy spread by the likes of former national security adviser Michael Flynn proves that dirty tricks can be done just as well by amateurs. |title=Donald Trump must be getting desperate: Does he really think thuggish Corey Lewandowski can save him? |first=Heather Digby |last=Parton |date=May 24, 2017 |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529052358/http://www.salon.com/2017/05/24/donald-trump-must-be-getting-desperate-does-he-really-think-thuggish-corey-lewandowski-can-save-him/ |url-status=live }} After prior coordination on Facebook, each theory was spread on Twitter by automated bots using a branded hashtag, with the goal of becoming a trending topic.{{citation |quote=Bots flood the network, tweeting and retweeting thousands or hundreds of thousands of messages in support of the story, often accompanied by a branding hashtag — #pizzagate, or, a few weeks ago, #sethrich. |work=The New York Times |first=Farhad |last=Manjoo |author-link=Farhad Manjoo |title=How Twitter Is Being Gamed to Feed Misinformation |date=May 31, 2017 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/technology/how-twitter-is-being-gamed-to-feed-misinformation.html |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601134942/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/technology/how-twitter-is-being-gamed-to-feed-misinformation.html |url-status=live }} Both the Pizzagate conspiracy theory and the Seth Rich murder conspiracy theory were spread in the subreddit forum /r/The_Donald.{{cite news |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/reddit-news-donald-sub-set-private-maybe-done-good-update-its-back-2541584 |work=International Business Times |first=Steven |last=Asarch |title=Reddit News: The Donald Sub Set To Private, Maybe Done For Good [UPDATE: It's Back] |date=May 20, 2017 |quote=The_donald is arguably the most polarizing sub on reddit ... has become the main political subreddit for continued conspiracy theories, like Pizzagate or that the DNC murdered Seth Rich. |access-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-date=May 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520201807/http://www.ibtimes.com/reddit-news-donald-sub-set-private-maybe-done-good-update-its-back-2541584 |url-status=live }} In both conspiracy theories, the promoters attempted to shift the burden of proof — asking others to attempt to disprove their claims, without citing substantiated evidence.{{cite news |last=Kurtzleben |first=Danielle |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/05/17/528804792/unproved-claims-reemerge-around-dnc-staffer-s-death-here-s-what-you-should-know |title=Unproved Claims Re-Emerge Around DNC Staffer's Death: Here's What You Should Know |work=National Public Radio |date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=May 28, 2017 |quote=As with many other conspiracy theories ... this kind of assertion in part functions by trying to shift the burden of proof. Rather than proving with hard evidence that there was a conspiracy surrounding Rich's murder (or that the owners of Comet Ping Pong, the pizza restaurant, were harming children), the people making the unproved claims end up pushing the other side to try to disprove it. |archive-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526231348/http://www.npr.org/2017/05/17/528804792/unproved-claims-reemerge-around-dnc-staffer-s-death-here-s-what-you-should-know |url-status=live }} Slate{{'}}s Elliot Hannon called the claims about Seth Rich a "PizzaGate-like conspiracy theory surrounding Rich's death",{{citation |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/05/24/hannity_says_he_will_stop_but_not_really_pushing_the_seth_rich_conspiracy.html |work=Slate |title=Hannity Says He Will Stop—But Also Never Stop—Pushing the Seth Rich Conspiracy |last=Hannon |first=Elliot |date=May 24, 2017 |quote=the PizzaGate-like conspiracy theory surrounding Rich's death |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603000614/http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/05/24/hannity_says_he_will_stop_but_not_really_pushing_the_seth_rich_conspiracy.html |url-status=live }} The Huffington Post described it as "the 'alt-right' idiocy of Pizzagate all over again", NPR's David Folkenflik said Fox News coverage of it "evokes the pizza-gate terrible allegations utterly unfounded",{{citation |work=BuzzFeed News |last=Cramer |first=Meg |title=Can Fox News Survive Without Roger Ailes? |date=May 19, 2017 |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/megcramer/can-fox-news-survive-without-roger-ailes |quote=Yesterday there was this ludicrous story that I think Seth Rich was trying to imply that this poor DNC staffer who'd been killed had been like, set up by the Clintons. ... You know, it evokes the pizza-gate terrible allegations utterly unfounded and unfair |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601042337/https://www.buzzfeed.com/megcramer/can-fox-news-survive-without-roger-ailes |url-status=live }} and Margaret Sullivan wrote for The Washington Post: "The Seth Rich lie has become the new Comet Ping Pong ... Crazy, baseless and dangerous."{{citation |quote=The Seth Rich lie has become the new Comet Ping Pong — another Washington-based conspiracy theory that ended in January with a gunman walking into a family-friendly pizza joint and firing shots as he 'self-investigated' a supposed child-molestation plot involving Hillary Clinton. Crazy, baseless and dangerous. |first=Margaret |last=Sullivan |author-link=Margaret Sullivan (journalist) |url=http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5322540-155/margaret-sullivan-the-seth-rich-lie |title=Margaret Sullivan: The Seth Rich lie, and how the corrosion of reality should worry every American |agency=The Washington Post |work=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=May 23, 2017 |access-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603032405/http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5322540-155/margaret-sullivan-the-seth-rich-lie |url-status=live }}

On July 9, 2019, a Yahoo! News article stated that an alleged Russian Foreign Intelligence Service bulletin dated July 13, 2016 was the original source of the conspiracy theory.{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-the-true-origins-of-the-seth-rich-conspiracy-a-yahoo-news-investigation-100000831.html |title=Exclusive: The true origins of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory. A Yahoo News investigation. |author=Michael Isikoff |author-link=Michael Isikoff |date=July 9, 2019 |work=Yahoo! News |access-date=July 9, 2019 |archive-date=July 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709104230/https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-the-true-origins-of-the-seth-rich-conspiracy-a-yahoo-news-investigation-100000831.html |url-status=live }} An analysis by the Washington Post disputed the conclusion while crediting the report for highlighting the roles played by InfoWars, Fox News, and Hannity in promoting the misinformation.

Law enforcement stated that the conspiracy theories were unfounded, while fact-checking websites like PolitiFact.com,{{cite web |work=PolitiFact.com |first=Joshua |last=Gillin |url=http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/may/26/patriotcriercom/conspiracy-theory-comey-hid-seth-richs-ties-wikile/ |title=Conspiracy theory that Comey hid Seth Rich's ties to WikiLeaks based on retracted story |date=May 26, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=June 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616231320/http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/may/26/patriotcriercom/conspiracy-theory-comey-hid-seth-richs-ties-wikile/ |url-status=live }} Snopes.com, and FactCheck.org came to the conclusion that the theories were false and baseless.

The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia described the murder as related to a bungled attempted robbery, and said "the assertions put forward by Mr. Wheeler are unfounded." Assistant Police Chief Peter Newsham said the police had no information suggesting a connection between Rich's death and data obtained by WikiLeaks, and MPD officers considered the murder to be the result of a botched robbery attempt. A spokesman for the Washington, D.C., mayor's office, who said, "All claims made by Mr. Wheeler are false and take fake news to a whole new level. The family deserves better and everyday MPD continues to work diligently to solve this case."

People who worked with Rich said he didn't have access to the emails on the DNC server and was not an expert computer hacker helping to leak information to foreigners. Andrew Therriault, a data scientist who had mentored Rich, said although he had recently been working as a programmer, he did not have a programming background; another co-worker said Rich was very upset when he heard hackers associated with Russian intelligence services had broken into the DNC computers and could be interfering with the election.

Conspiracy theories falsely claimed that the FBI was investigating the case; in fact, the DC's MPD investigated the murder, and the FBI was not involved.

Newt Gingrich promoted the conspiracy theory of a tie between Rich and Wikileaks, claiming that Rich "apparently was assassinated" subsequent to "having given WikiLeaks something like ... 53,000 [DNC] emails and 17,000 attachments". No evidence supported Gingrich's false and baseless claim, and there was no evidence of any link between Rich and Wikileaks.

The fabrications were described as fake news and falsehoods by The New York Times. The New York Times cited the conspiracy theories as an example of the persistence of false claims, concluding: "fake news dies hard". The Los Angeles Times called the conspiracy theories "unsubstantiated rumors".

The Washington Post cited the conspiracy theories as an example of the power of fake news to spread virally online. The paper used the example as a case study of the persistence of fake news, and found that television news media can be a soft target for such false stories. The Washington Post further found that the proliferation of fake news via Facebook had decreased, but remained powerful on Twitter due to spread via online bots. They found that the conspiracy theories with the largest potential to spread on the Internet were those that held attraction for both the alt-right movements and the political left wing. The Washington Post concluded that even if a particular false story had been sufficiently debunked, such fact-checking was unable to stop the spread of the falsehoods online.

On May 15, 2017, Fox 5 DC (WTTG) reported the uncorroborated and later largely retracted claims by Rod Wheeler, a Fox News contributor and former homicide detective, that there was evidence Seth Rich had contacted WikiLeaks and that law enforcement were covering this up,{{cite news |last=Savransky |first=Rebecca |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/333555-family-of-slain-dnc-staffer-slams-report-he-had-contact-with-wikileaks/ |title=Slain DNC staffer's family quashes report he had contact with WikiLeaks |date=May 16, 2017 |work=The Hill |access-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521025224/http://thehill.com/homenews/news/333555-family-of-slain-dnc-staffer-slams-report-he-had-contact-with-wikileaks |url-status=live }} claims that were never independently verified by Fox.{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fox-news-conspiracy-theory-wikileaks-seth-rich_us_591b493ee4b07d5f6ba6d027 |title=Fox Pushes WikiLeaks Murder Conspiracy From Man Who Warned Of Armed Lesbian Pedophiles |last=Waldron |first=Travis |publisher=HuffPost |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date=May 16, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517054751/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fox-news-conspiracy-theory-wikileaks-seth-rich_us_591b493ee4b07d5f6ba6d027 |url-status=live }} The next day, Fox News published a lead story on its website and provided extensive coverage on its cable news channel about what it later said were Wheeler's uncorroborated claims about the murder of Seth Rich;{{Cite news |url=http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-1.789915 |title=Explained: 'Alt-right' Using Cruel Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory to Deflect From Trump's Russia Scandal |last=Sommer |first=Allison Kaplan |date=May 17, 2017 |work=Haaretz |access-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517173820/http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-1.789915 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/16/conservative-media-coverage-of-trumps-classified-disclosure-will-make-your-head-spin/ |title=Conservative media coverage of Trump's classified disclosure will make your head spin |last=Borchers |first=Callum |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522222747/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/16/conservative-media-coverage-of-trumps-classified-disclosure-will-make-your-head-spin/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |author=Chang |first=Alvin |date=May 18, 2017 |title=We tracked the Trump scandals on right-wing news sites. Here's how they covered it. |url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/18/15646098/right-wing-media-collective-memories |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518184953/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/18/15646098/right-wing-media-collective-memories |archive-date=May 18, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2017 |publisher=Vox}} in the lead story Fox News removed from their website a few days later, they stated that Wheeler's claims had been "corroborated by a federal investigator who spoke to Fox News."{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-dnc-staffer-wikileaks-leaked-emails-fbi-610383 |title=The FBI is not investigating DNC staffer Seth Rich's murder, despite WikiLeaks claim |website=Newsweek |date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526130542/http://www.newsweek.com/seth-rich-dnc-staffer-wikileaks-leaked-emails-fbi-610383 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Zimmerman |first=Malia |title=Family of slain DNC staffer Seth Rich blasts detective over report of WikiLeaks link |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/16/slain-dnc-staffer-had-contact-with-wikileaks-investigator-says.html |publisher=Fox News |access-date=August 5, 2017 |date=May 16, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516232112/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/16/slain-dnc-staffer-had-contact-with-wikileaks-investigator-says.html#&_intcmp=latestnews |archive-date=May 16, 2017}}{{cite news |last1=Choi |first1=David |last2=Bondarenko |first2=Veronika |title=A 27-year-old DNC staffer was shot and killed in DC — and his mysterious death led to a lawsuit against Fox News |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-seth-rich-story-about-fox-news-lawsuit-rod-wheeler-dnc-wikileaks-emails-2017-8 |work=Business Insider |date=August 2, 2017 |access-date=August 7, 2017 |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807193041/http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-seth-rich-story-about-fox-news-lawsuit-rod-wheeler-dnc-wikileaks-emails-2017-8 |url-status=live}} In reporting these claims, the Fox News report re-ignited conspiracy theories about the killing.{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/dnc-staffer-s-murder-draws-fresh-conspiracy-theories-n760186 |title=DNC staffer's murder draws fresh conspiracy theories |work=NBC News |access-date=May 16, 2017 |archive-date=May 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516173421/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/dnc-staffer-s-murder-draws-fresh-conspiracy-theories-n760186 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/fbi-involved-seth-rich-case-officials/story?id=47565705 |title=FBI is not involved in Seth Rich case despite 'conspiracy theories', officials say |date=May 22, 2017 |work=ABC News |access-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522205128/http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/fbi-involved-seth-rich-case-officials/story?id=47565705 |url-status=live }} According to NPR, within a day of the original Fox report, "Google searches for Rich had overtaken searches for James Comey, even amid continuous news about the former FBI director's conversations with Trump." The Washington Post{{'}}s Callum Borchers noted Fox News chose to lead with this story at a time when most other media outlets were covering Donald Trump's disclosure of classified information to Russia.

Other news organizations revealed Wheeler was a Donald Trump supporter, a paid Fox News contributor, and according to NBC News had "developed a reputation for making outlandish claims, such as one appearance on Fox News in 2007 in which he warned that underground networks of pink pistol-toting lesbian gangs were raping young women".{{Cite news |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/rod-wheeler |title=Meet The Private Detective Who Ignited A Clinton Conspiracy Theory |publisher=BuzzFeed |access-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517051356/https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/rod-wheeler |url-status=live }} The Washington Post noted it is "rare for a news organization to have such a close relationship with the people it is covering", as Wheeler was "playing three roles at once: as a Fox source, as a paid contributor to the network and as a supposedly independent investigator of the murder". When Wheeler appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News shows, these multiple roles were not disclosed to viewers. After Wheeler's Fox News interview on May 15, 2017, Brad Bauman, a communications professional and spokesman for the Rich family, said the family was asking Fox News and the Fox affiliate to retract their reports and apologize for damaging their son's legacy.

The family spokesperson, the Washington, D.C., police department, the Washington, D.C., mayor's office, the FBI, and law enforcement sources familiar with the case all disputed Wheeler's claims.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/family-of-slain-seth-rich-says-reports-he-fed-wikileaks-dnc-info-are-untrue/2017/05/16/9b32ef9c-3a46-11e7-8854-21f359183e8c_story.html |title=Family of slain Seth Rich says reports that he fed DNC info to WikiLeaks are untrue |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 16, 2017 |archive-date=May 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516181342/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/family-of-slain-seth-rich-says-reports-he-fed-wikileaks-dnc-info-are-untrue/2017/05/16/9b32ef9c-3a46-11e7-8854-21f359183e8c_story.html |url-status=live }} The family said, "We are a family who is committed to facts, not fake evidence that surfaces every few months to fill the void and distract law enforcement and the general public from finding Seth's murderers." Bauman criticized Fox News for its reporting, saying he believed that the outlet was motivated by a desire to deflect attention from the Trump-Russia story: "I think there's a very special place in hell for people that would use the memory of a murder victim in order to pursue a political agenda."{{Cite news |url=http://www.snopes.com/seth-rich-dnc-wikileaks-murder/ |title=Fact Check: Did DNC Staffer Seth Rich Send 'Thousands of E-Mails' to WikiLeaks Before He Was Murdered? |work=Snopes.com |date=May 16, 2017 |access-date=May 16, 2017 |first=Bethania |last=Palma |quote=We were able to confirm the FBI is not investigating Rich's murder — it is an MPD investigation ... All claims made by Mr. Wheeler are false and take fake news to a whole new level. The family deserves better and everyday MPD continues to work diligently to solve this case. |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125112757/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/seth-rich-dnc-wikileaks-murder/ |url-status=live }}

Later that day, Wheeler told CNN he had no evidence that Rich had contacted Wikileaks.{{Cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/16/media/seth-rich-family-response-claims-of-wikileaks-contact/index.html |title=Story on DNC staffer's murder dominated conservative media – hours later it fell apart |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=May 16, 2017 |publisher=CNNMoney |access-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517013527/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/16/media/seth-rich-family-response-claims-of-wikileaks-contact/index.html |url-status=live }} Wheeler claimed that Fox had presented his quotes misleadingly and that he only learned about the possible existence of the evidence from a Fox News reporter. Despite this, Sean Hannity's show and Fox & Friends continued to promote the conspiracy theory for the remainder of the week.{{cite news |last=Weigel |first=David |date=2017-05-22 |title=The Seth Rich conspiracy's biggest myths, explained |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/22/the-seth-rich-conspiracys-biggest-myths-explained/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523013951/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/05/22/the-seth-rich-conspiracys-biggest-myths-explained/ |archive-date=May 23, 2017 |access-date=May 23, 2017 |work=The Washington Post |publisher=}} On May 18, 2016, Hannity's guest on the show was Jay Sekulow who said that Rich's killing "... undercuts this whole Russia argument;" neither one mentioned that Sekulow had just been hired as one of Trump's lead lawyers in the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Geraldo Rivera took part in spreading the conspiracy.{{Cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/19/media/russian-embassy-seth-rich-inaccurate-fox-news-story/index.html |title=Russian embassy promotes conspiracy theory on DNC staffer's death after false Fox News story |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=May 19, 2017 |publisher=CNNMoney |access-date=May 19, 2017 |archive-date=May 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519220045/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/19/media/russian-embassy-seth-rich-inaccurate-fox-news-story/index.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/22/media/fox-news-staffers-seth-rich-dnc-sean-hannity/index.html |title=Fox News staffers 'disgusted' at network's promotion of Seth Rich conspiracy theory |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=May 22, 2017 |publisher=CNNMoney |access-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523035221/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/22/media/fox-news-staffers-seth-rich-dnc-sean-hannity/index.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/23/media/seth-rich-family-letter-hannity-fox-news/index.html |title=Seth Rich's brother pleads with Hannity to stop spreading conspiracy theory |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=May 23, 2017 |publisher=CNNMoney |access-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523171159/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/23/media/seth-rich-family-letter-hannity-fox-news/index.html |url-status=live }} Hannity had on his program Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch, who said the organization filed Freedom of Information Act requests for documents from Washington, D.C., mayor Muriel E. Bowser, and from the Metropolitan Police.{{citation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/05/23/fox-news-retracts-controversial-story-on-seth-richs-death-and-alleged-wikileaks-contact |newspaper=The Washington Post |title=Sean Hannity done talking about Seth Rich and WikiLeaks 'for now' as Fox News retracts story |first=Kristine |last=Philips |date=May 24, 2017 |access-date=May 30, 2017 |archive-date=May 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528193419/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/05/23/fox-news-retracts-controversial-story-on-seth-richs-death-and-alleged-wikileaks-contact/ |url-status=live }} Sean Hannity furthermore promoted the uncorroborated claims of Kim Dotcom, a New Zealand resident sought by the United States on fraud charges who claimed without evidence that Rich had been in contact with him before his death.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/the-life-and-death-of-the-seth-rich-conspiracy-theory/2017/05/23/aba640c4-3ff3-11e7-adba-394ee67a7582_story.html |title=The life and death of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524181556/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/the-life-and-death-of-the-seth-rich-conspiracy-theory/2017/05/23/aba640c4-3ff3-11e7-adba-394ee67a7582_story.html |url-status=live }} Fox News host Julie Roginsky was critical of the conspiracy theory peddlers, stating on Twitter and on her television show: "The exploitation of a dead man whose family has begged conspiracy theorists to stop is really egregious. Please stop."{{citation |first=Julie |last=Roginsky |author-link=Julie Roginsky |work=Fox News |title=Julie Roginsky claps back at Seth Rich conspiracy theorists |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5jJr6CoLns |date=May 22, 2017 |access-date=May 28, 2017 |archive-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529034457/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5jJr6CoLns |url-status=live }} Fox News was also criticized by conservative outlets, such as the Weekly Standard,{{Cite news |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/prime-time-conspiracy-theory/article/2008229#.WSmJI4heE7o.twitter |title=Prime-Time Conspiracy Theory |date=May 26, 2017 |work=Weekly Standard |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526083000/http://www.weeklystandard.com/prime-time-conspiracy-theory/article/2008229#.WSmJI4heE7o.twitter |url-status=dead}} National Review,{{cite news |last=Geraghty |first=Jim |date=2017-05-24 |title=The Facts of the Seth Rich Murder That Don't Support Conspiracy Theories |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/morning-jolt/447911/seth-rich-murder-conspiracy-katy-perry-manchester-attack-comments |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125112732/https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/seth-rich-murder-conspiracy-katy-perry-manchester-attack-comments/ |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |work=National Review}}{{cite news |last=French |first=David |date=2017-05-24 |title=The Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory Is Shameful Nonsense |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447903/sean-hannity-seth-rich-conspiracy-theory-disgrace |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528094135/http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447903/sean-hannity-seth-rich-conspiracy-theory-disgrace |archive-date=May 28, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |work=National Review}} and conservative columnists, such as Jennifer Rubin,{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/05/24/questions-fox-and-the-right-need-to-answer/ |title=Questions Fox and the right need to answer |last=Rubin |first=Jennifer |date=May 24, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 27, 2017 |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526195031/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/05/24/questions-fox-and-the-right-need-to-answer/ |url-status=live}} Michael Gerson,{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-conservative-mind-has-become-diseased/2017/05/25/523f0964-4159-11e7-9869-bac8b446820a_story.html?tid=ss_tw-bottom |title=The conservative mind has become diseased |last=Gerson |first=Michael |date=May 25, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 29, 2017 |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=August 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805104819/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-conservative-mind-has-become-diseased/2017/05/25/523f0964-4159-11e7-9869-bac8b446820a_story.html?tid=ss_tw-bottom |url-status=live}} and John Podhoretz.{{cite news |url=https://www.commentarymagazine.com/politics-ideas/the-shame-of-defaming-seth-rich/ |title=The Shameless Conspiracy Theorizing Involving Seth Rich Must Stop |date=May 23, 2017 |work=Commentary Magazine |access-date=May 28, 2017 |language=en-US |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525021948/https://www.commentarymagazine.com/politics-ideas/the-shame-of-defaming-seth-rich/ |url-status=live}} In September 2017, NPR noted that Fox News had yet to apologize for its false story or explain what went wrong; "When a story of this scale crumbles, most news organizations feel obligated to explain what happened and why. Not so far at Fox."

By November 2020, Malia Zimmerman, the reporter behind the retracted Fox News story, was no longer working at Fox.{{cite news |last1=Folkenflik |first1=David |title=Fox News Settles With Seth Rich's Parents For False Story Claiming Clinton Leaks |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/11/24/938545344/fox-news-settles-with-seth-richs-parents-for-false-story-claiming-clinton-leaks |access-date=18 October 2021 |agency=NPR |date=November 24, 2020 |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119105600/https://www.npr.org/2020/11/24/938545344/fox-news-settles-with-seth-richs-parents-for-false-story-claiming-clinton-leaks |url-status=live }}

On May 19, 2017, an attorney for the Rich family sent a cease and desist letter to Wheeler.{{cite news |last=Seitz-Wald |first=Alex |date=May 19, 2017 |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/slain-dnc-staffer-s-family-orders-blabbing-detective-cease-desist-n762211 |title=Slain DNC Staffer's Family Orders Blabbing Detective to 'Cease and Desist |work=NBC News |access-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522104952/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/slain-dnc-staffer-s-family-orders-blabbing-detective-cease-desist-n762211 |url-status=live }}

Fox News issued a retraction of the story on May 23, 2017, and removed the original article and did not apologize or specify what went wrong or how it did so.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40021373 |title=Fox retracts Seth Rich murder conspiracy |date=May 23, 2017 |work=BBC News |access-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524080403/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40021373 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/05/24/529809256/fox-news-retracts-dnc-staffer-conspiracy-story-but-hannity-keeps-it-alive |title=Fox News Retracts DNC Staffer Conspiracy Story, But Hannity Keeps It Alive |publisher=NPR |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524160109/http://www.npr.org/2017/05/24/529809256/fox-news-retracts-dnc-staffer-conspiracy-story-but-hannity-keeps-it-alive |url-status=live }} Despite this, Hannity, who pushed the theory, remained unapologetic, saying "I retracted nothing" and "I am not going to stop trying to find the truth."{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/business/media/fox-news-seth-rich.html |title=Fox News Retracts Seth Rich Story That Stirred Controversy |last=Victor |first=Daniel |date=May 23, 2017 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 23, 2017 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524004219/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/business/media/fox-news-seth-rich.html |url-status=live }} In their May 23 statement, Fox News said, "The article was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all our reporting. Upon appropriate review, the article was found not to meet those standards and has since been removed." Media ethics writer Kelly McBride criticized the retraction as "woefully inadequate", writing that it did not specify exactly what was inaccurate or provide correct information in place of the retracted story.{{Cite news |url=http://www.poynter.org/2017/fox-news-retraction-is-a-woefully-inadequate-response-to-its-colossal-mistake/461002/ |title=Fox News's retraction is a woefully inadequate response to its colossal mistake |date=May 23, 2017 |publisher=Poynter Institute |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524002422/http://www.poynter.org/2017/fox-news-retraction-is-a-woefully-inadequate-response-to-its-colossal-mistake/461002/ |url-status=live }}

The same day, Hannity stated on his show that he would cease discussing the issue.{{cite magazine |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |magazine=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/sean-hannity-seth-rich-fox-news-2-1202442552/ |title=Sean Hannity Says He Will 'Cease' Discussing Seth Rich Case |date=May 23, 2017 |access-date=December 14, 2017 |archive-date=December 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171220154845/http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/sean-hannity-seth-rich-fox-news-2-1202442552/ |url-status=live }} Hannity said his decision to cease commenting on the matter was related to the family of the murder victim: "Out of respect for the family's wishes, for now, I am not discussing the matter at this time." In the same statement wherein he promised to cease discussion of the topic, he vowed to pursue facts in the future: "I promise you I am not going to stop trying to find the truth." Several advertisers including Crowne Plaza Hotels, Cars.com, Leesa Mattress, USAA, Peloton and Casper Sleep pulled their marketing from his program on Fox News.{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Bond |date=May 25, 2017 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/more-advertisers-pressuring-fox-news-sean-hannity-1007805 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |title=Several advertisers have pulled TV spots over the 'Hannity' host's reporting on Seth Rich, while conservatives are mounting a counter-boycott. |access-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613183900/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/more-advertisers-pressuring-fox-news-sean-hannity-1007805 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=Derek |last=Hawkins |work=San Francisco Chronicle |agency=The Washington Post |url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sean-Hannity-loses-advertisers-amid-uproar-over-11172410.php |date=May 25, 2017 |title=Sean Hannity loses advertisers amid uproar over slain DNC staffer conspiracy theories |access-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525233134/http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Sean-Hannity-loses-advertisers-amid-uproar-over-11172410.php |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sean-hannity-loses-some-advertisers-after-advancing-conspiracy-theory-1495757644 |title=Sean Hannity Loses Some Advertisers After Advancing Conspiracy Theory |last=Flint |first=Joe |date=May 26, 2017 |work=Wall Street Journal |access-date=May 26, 2017 |issn=0099-9660 |archive-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526014145/https://www.wsj.com/articles/sean-hannity-loses-some-advertisers-after-advancing-conspiracy-theory-1495757644 |url-status=live }} Crowne Plaza Hotels later said that it was not their policy to advertise on political commentary shows and that they had not been aware of their sponsorship of the show.{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Gabbatt |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/26/sean-hannity-advertiser-boycott-fox-news-seth-rich |work=The Guardian |date=May 26, 2017 |title=Sean Hannity hit by advertiser exodus in wake of bogus Seth Rich story |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527033950/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/26/sean-hannity-advertiser-boycott-fox-news-seth-rich |url-status=live }} USAA soon returned to advertising on Fox News after receiving customer input.{{cite web |last=Morona |first=Joey |url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/05/sean_hannity_still_talking_abo.html |title=Sean Hannity, still talking about Seth Rich, gets an advertiser back |work=cleveland.com |date=May 31, 2017 |access-date=May 31, 2017 |archive-date=June 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601064515/http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/05/sean_hannity_still_talking_abo.html |url-status=live }}

In 2019, Jerome Corsi and InfoWars apologized and retracted a story promoting conspiracy theories about the murder of Seth Rich. The retraction was published on the front page of InfoWars, where Corsi said that "his allegations were not based upon any independent factual knowledge." Corsi said that he retracted the story because it relied on information that the Washington Times had retracted, but still thought that investigators should look into whether Seth Rich played a role.{{Cite web |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=2019-03-04 |title=Jerome Corsi retracts InfoWars story that spread Seth Rich conspiracy theory {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/04/media/jerome-corsi-seth-rich/index.html |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Kroll |first=Andy |date=2019-03-04 |title=Pro-Trump Conspiracy Peddler Jerome Corsi Apologizes to Seth Rich's Family |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/pro-trump-conspiracy-peddler-jerome-corsi-apologizes-to-seth-richs-family-802581/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

On August 1, 2017, Rod Wheeler, the private investigator hired by Butowsky who was the first to claim links between Seth Rich's murder and the DNC hack on Fox, but who later appeared to retract his claims, filed a lawsuit (Case 1:17-cv-05807 Southern District of New York) in which 21st Century Fox, the Fox News Channel, Fox News reporter Malia Zimmerman and Ed Butowsky were named as defendants, stating that quotes attributed to him in the original Fox News piece were fabricated. The lawsuit also alleged that the fabricated quotes were included in the Fox News story at the urging of the Trump White House.{{cite news |last=Bump |first=Philip |date=August 1, 2017 |title=A timeline of the explosive lawsuit alleging a White House link in the Seth Rich conspiracy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/08/01/a-timeline-of-the-explosive-lawsuit-alleging-a-white-house-link-in-the-seth-rich-conspiracy/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=August 1, 2017 |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125112719/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/08/01/a-timeline-of-the-explosive-lawsuit-alleging-a-white-house-link-in-the-seth-rich-conspiracy/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Folkenflik |first=David |date=August 1, 2017 |title=Behind Fox News' Baseless Seth Rich Story: The Untold Tale |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/08/01/540783715/lawsuit-alleges-fox-news-and-trump-supporter-created-fake-news-story |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803002740/http://www.npr.org/2017/08/01/540783715/lawsuit-alleges-fox-news-and-trump-supporter-created-fake-news-story |archive-date=August 3, 2017 |access-date=April 5, 2018 |publisher=NPR}}

Text messages and audio apparently supporting this assertion were included in the filing of the lawsuit. About a month before the story was aired on Fox News, Wheeler and Butowsky met at the White House with the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, to review the planned story on Seth Rich's murder. After talking to Wheeler and Butowsky, Zimmerman sent Wheeler a draft of a story without any quotes from Wheeler on May 11. On May 14, Butowsky texted Wheeler saying "Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article. He wants the article out immediately. It's now all up to you. But don't feel the pressure." Butowsky also left a voicemail for Wheeler which said "We have the full, uh, attention of the White House on this. And tomorrow, let's close this deal, whatever we've got to do."

Butowsky said Seymour Hersh confirmed a link between Rich and the FBI. Hersh confirmed the conversation with Butowsky but told NPR the link was "gossip" and that Butowsky exaggerated its significance.

In an email to Fox News, Butowsky also wrote about the purpose behind the Seth Rich story: "One of the big conclusions we need to draw from this is that the Russians did not hack our computer systems and ste[a]l emails and there was no collusion (between) Trump and the Russians." He also instructed Wheeler that "[T]he narrative in the interviews you might use is that you and [Zimmerman's] work prove that the Russians didn't hack into the DNC and steal the emails and impact our elections ... If you can, try to highlight this puts the Russian hacking story to rest."

When the story aired on Fox News, it included supposed quotes from Wheeler and was written as if the accusations against the DNC came from him. Wheeler alleges that the quotes were fabricated and should not have been attributed to him.

In later recordings Butowsky told Wheeler that the claims being attributed to him were false but says that "One day you're going to win an award for having said those things you didn't say." He also says "I know that's not true, if I'm under oath, I would say I never heard him say that."

The lawsuit was dismissed in August 2018, alongside Rich's family lawsuit against Fox, with the presiding judge ruling that there was no evidence that Fox has manipulated claims he had made on recordings, while other statements that Wheeler claimed were defamatory were considered opinion.{{cite web | url = https://www.npr.org/2018/08/03/635272922/judge-dismisses-suits-against-fox-news-over-seth-rich-story | title = Judge Dismisses Suits Against Fox News Over Seth Rich Story | first = David | last = Folkenflik | date = August 3, 2018 | access-date = February 8, 2021 | work = NPR | archive-date = February 15, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210215003316/https://www.npr.org/2018/08/03/635272922/judge-dismisses-suits-against-fox-news-over-seth-rich-story | url-status = live }} However, information learned from the discovery phase of the lawsuit on how Fox News was handling the story were subsequently used by Rich's family in its lawsuit against the network after they successfully appealed the dismissal.{{cite web | url = https://www.npr.org/2020/11/24/938545344/fox-news-settles-with-seth-richs-parents-for-false-story-claiming-clinton-leaks | title = Fox News Settles With Seth Rich's Parents For False Story Claiming Clinton Leaks | first = David | last = Folkenflik | date = November 24, 2020 | access-date = February 8, 2021 | work = NPR | archive-date = January 19, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210119105600/https://www.npr.org/2020/11/24/938545344/fox-news-settles-with-seth-richs-parents-for-false-story-claiming-clinton-leaks | url-status = live }}

In May 2017, Seth Rich's brother Aaron Rich issued a statement saying, "We simply want to find his killers and grieve. Instead, we are stuck having to constantly fight against non-facts, baseless allegations, and general stupidity to defend my brother's name and legacy." The family spokesperson said "At this point, only people with transparent political agendas or sociopaths are still perpetuating Seth Rich conspiracies."{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/05/21/gingrich-spreads-conspiracy-theory-about-slain-dnc-staffer/ |title=Gingrich spreads conspiracy theory about slain DNC staffer |date=May 21, 2017 |access-date=May 21, 2017 |publisher=The Washington Post PowerPost blog |author=David Weigel |author-link=David Weigel |archive-date=May 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521155708/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/05/21/gingrich-spreads-conspiracy-theory-about-slain-dnc-staffer/ |url-status=live }}

His parents authored a piece in The Washington Post on May 23, 2017, titled: "We're Seth Rich's parents. Stop politicizing our son's murder," in which they wrote:

{{Blockquote|We are asking you to please consider our feelings and words. There are people who are using our beloved Seth's memory and legacy for their own political goals, and they are using your outrage to perpetuate our nightmare. We ask those purveying falsehoods to give us peace, and to give law enforcement the time and space to do the investigation they need to solve our son's murder.}}

In March 2018, Aaron Rich sued Butowsky, Couch, America First Media, and The Washington Times for suggesting he had played a role in the purported theft of emails from the DNC.{{Cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/27/media/seth-rich-brother-sues-washington-times/index.html?iid=EL |title=Seth Rich's brother sues right-wing activists, Washington Times over conspiracy theories |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |work=CNNMoney |access-date=October 1, 2018 |archive-date=October 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001220503/https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/27/media/seth-rich-brother-sues-washington-times/index.html?iid=EL |url-status=live }} On October 1, 2018, as part of a settlement they had reached with Aaron Rich, The Washington Times retracted the relevant articles and apologized to Rich and his family.{{Cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/10/01/media/washington-times-aaron-rich/index.html |title=The Washington Times settles lawsuit with Seth Rich's brother, issues retraction and apology for its coverage |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |work=CNNMoney |access-date=October 1, 2018 |archive-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221115632/https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/01/media/washington-times-aaron-rich/index.html |url-status=live }}

In March 2018, Rich's family filed a lawsuit against Fox News, Fox reporter Malia Zimmerman, and Fox contributor Ed Butowsky, for publishing a news report about Seth Rich. The suit alleges that the report fueled conspiracy theories about Rich's death and caused the family emotional distress.{{cite news |last=Del Moro |first=Michael |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/family-slain-dnc-staffer-sues-fox-news-retracted/story?id=53725795 |title=Family of slain DNC staffer sues Fox News over retracted story |date=March 13, 2018 |work=ABC News |access-date=March 14, 2018 |archive-date=March 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314014751/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/family-slain-dnc-staffer-sues-fox-news-retracted/story?id=53725795 |url-status=live }} Judge George B. Daniels dismissed the lawsuit in August 2018 alongside the case against Fox News from Wheeler. Judge Daniels ruled that, although it was reasonable for plaintiffs to believe their son's death was being used for political purposes, the plaintiffs failed to allege "intentional infliction" of emotional distress on the part of defendants, as that standard is determined under New York state law: "defamatory statements to news outlets 'fall well short of meeting the high standards for extreme and outrageous conduct.' They would have had to prove more extreme and persistent distress under the law."{{cite news |last=Segers |first=Grace |title=Seth Rich case against Fox News dismissed by federal judge |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seth-rich-case-dismissed-by-federal-judge/ |publisher=CBS |date=August 2, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018 |archive-date=August 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802222744/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/seth-rich-case-dismissed-by-federal-judge/ |url-status=live}}

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned the dismissal in September 2019 saying, "the Riches plausibly alleged what amounted to a campaign of emotional torture."{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/13/fox-news-seth-rich-1494617 |title=Court reinstates suit against Fox News over Seth Rich murder saga |last=Gerstein |first=Josh |date=September 13, 2019 |work=Politico |access-date=2019-09-14 |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310194949/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/13/fox-news-seth-rich-1494617 |url-status=live }} In subsequent proceedings, the Rich family used information from the failed Wheeler lawsuit to support further allegations towards Fox News. Among that information included the level of involvement that Butowsky had in preparing and coaching the Fox News hosts in the days before they broke their version of the Seth Rich story, his hiring of Wheeler, and his meeting with Spicer. On October 12, 2020, Fox News reached a settlement with the Rich family.{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Ben|date=2021-01-18|title=Fox Settled a Lawsuit Over Its Lies. But It Insisted on One Unusual Condition|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/business/media/fox-news-seth-rich-settlement.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210118152753/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/business/media/fox-news-seth-rich-settlement.html|archive-date=January 18, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=January 18, 2021}} The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but were reported to be in the seven figures.{{cite news |last=Isikoff |first=Michael |date=November 25, 2020 |title=Fox paid seven figures to settle lawsuit over bogus Seth Rich conspiracy story |url=https://news.yahoo.com/fox-paid-seven-figures-to-settle-lawsuit-over-bogus-seth-rich-conspiracy-story-003236858.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213162844/https://news.yahoo.com/fox-paid-seven-figures-to-settle-lawsuit-over-bogus-seth-rich-conspiracy-story-003236858.html |archive-date=December 13, 2020 |access-date=December 14, 2020 |website=Yahoo News}}{{cite news |last1=Isadi |first1=Elahe |last2=Farhi |first2=Paul |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2020/11/24/fox-news-seth-rich-settlement/ |title=Fox News reaches settlement with parents of slain DNC staffer Seth Rich |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 24, 2020 |access-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-date=December 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213204634/https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2020/11/24/fox-news-seth-rich-settlement/ |url-status=live}} The settlement also dismissed the actions against Zimmerman and Butowsky, which eliminated the need for Fox News hosts like Hannity and Dobbs to give testimony. The settlement contained the provision that it had to be kept secret for a month.

In April 2018, the BBC broadcast the documentary Conspiracy Files: Murder in Washington examining the death of Rich and subsequent theories about the death.{{cite web |title=Conspiracy Files: Murder in Washington |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09yj7rm |publisher=BBC Two |access-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-date=April 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405064447/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09yj7rm |url-status=live }}

In May 2022, an episode of the Netflix documentary series Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet examined the murder of Seth Rich, the unfounded conspiracy theories and his family.{{Cite web |title=Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet |url=https://www.netflix.com/za/title/81122462?preventIntent=true |publisher=Netflix |access-date=June 15, 2022 |archive-date=June 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622003626/https://www.netflix.com/title/81122462?preventIntent=true |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Folkenfilk |first=David |date=2022-06-15 |title=Seth Rich's killing was exploited on Fox News and online. His parents are fed up |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/06/15/1104511732/fox-news-seth-rich-murder |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620234410/https://www.npr.org/2022/06/15/1104511732/fox-news-seth-rich-murder |archive-date=June 20, 2022 |access-date=June 15, 2022 |publisher=NPR}}

• Crime in the District of Columbia
• Fake news in the United States
• Fringe theory
• Furtive fallacy
• List of conspiracy theories
• List of unsolved deaths

{{Reflist|26em}}

• {{cite news |url=http://www.jewishomaha.org/jewish-press/2016/seth-conrad-rich/ |title=In Memoriam: Seth Conrad Rich |work=The Jewish Press |location=Omaha |date=July 22, 2016 |author=Abraham, Rabbi Steven |access-date=August 12, 2016 |archive-date=August 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826102819/http://www.jewishomaha.org/jewish-press/2016/seth-conrad-rich/ |url-status=dead }} Eulogy given by Rabbi Steven Abraham of Beth El Synagogue at the service on July 13, 2016.
• {{cite news |author=Harris, Chris |url=http://www.people.com/article/friends-remember-dnc-staffer-seth-rich |title=Friends of Slain DNC Staffer Seth Rich Remember Him as 'Honest' and 'Self-Sacrificing' |work=People |date=July 13, 2016}}

• {{Find a Grave|166909163|Seth Conrad Rich}}—Beth El Cemetery, Ralston, Nebraska
• [http://www.snopes.com/2017/05/25/seth-rich-conspiracy-theory/ "The Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory"], Snopes.com
• [https://www.mediaite.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Wheeler-Filed-Complaint.pdf Wheeler v. Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. et al.]

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