The historic criminal prosecution of former US President Donald Trump has sparked the worst misinformation and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, experts say.

Their target is the American billionaire and philanthropist George Soros, a Jew of Hungarian origin, who is a “red flag” for the American and European extreme right.

Soros has long funded transparency and democracy initiatives, which has turned him into a figurehead for extremist organizations and the hardline faction of the US Republican Party.

Even before Trump’s appearance on April 4 before New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg – an African-American, left-wing Democrat – the famous investor was accused of having Bragg in his pocket.

Indeed, George Soros, who funds organizations considered progressive, had donated a million dollars to the association Color of Change, which works to promote the diversity of the American judicial system.

Color of Change supported Mr. Bragg’s campaign for Manhattan District Attorney in New York.

“Prosecutor Soros”

Elected in late 2021, Alvin Bragg took office on 1 January 2022 and sought to implement a reformist and progressive agenda, notably seeking to avoid prison sentences for minor offences.

Read Related: Alvin Bragg: The Moderate Harlem District Attorney Who’s ‘Hunting’ Trump

Soros’ support, albeit indirect, was enough for Donald Trump to, without any evidence of a direct connection, accuse the prosecutor of being “handpicked and funded by George Soros.”

Hard-line Republican supporters of the 45th president of the USA (2017-2021), also a billionaire, have gone overboard: via Twitter, they tease that Alvin Bragg was “backed/financed by Soros”, when they don’t call the investor “Prosecutor Soros”.

At the Manhattan courthouse where Mr. Trump appeared to be arraigned, a protester held a sign that read, “Google it! George Soros Funds US Attorneys”.

trump

Asked about this by AFP, a representative of Mr. Soros assured that the billionaire “never met, spoke or communicated in any way with Alvin Bragg.” Instead, he complained that “many on the right are trying to shift the burden of proof from the accused (Mr Trump) to the accuser (Mr Bragg)”.

The spokesman also chided that “because of George’s (Soros) known support for reformist prosecutors, Republicans arguing that they’re behind it all, even though the mainstream media has already blown it all up, they’re persisting” with these stories.

“Globalized landed elite”

“Conspiracy theories are built around the idea that there are powerful forces beyond our control that are acting on behalf of ‘globalized elites’ to hide the truth from the people,” Joshua Tucker, co-director of the Center for Social Media and Politics of the State University of New York (NYU).

“In this case” Mr. Soros “embodies the globalized patrician elite,” he added.

As, with a “dangerous” dose, the Republican party returns to its past, “to anti-Semitism”, turning against George Soros, complained on Twitter the left-wing American Jewish organization J Street.

From Europe to Asia to the Americas, right-wing and far-right influencers accuse George Soros of financing the “great replacement” of white Americans by people of color. Probably in his… spare time, when he is not (accused of) promoting immigration, social and political unrest, multiculturalism…