The Times of London removed an article Tuesday claiming former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized Zohran Mamdani's mayoral policies, after de Blasio called it a "complete fabrication" and revealed he'd never spoken to the reporter.
A de Blasio impersonator duped the paper's U.S.-based reporter Bevan Hurley, who published quotes questioning Mamdani's "$7 billion" plans for free buses, universal childcare, rent freezes, and city-run groceries as unrealistic with "optimistic assumptions" and math that "doesn't hold up."
De Blasio, an early and vocal Mamdani endorser who'd compared the democratic socialist's agenda to his own pre-K success, blasted the story on X: "I never spoke to that reporter... I fully support Zohran Mamdani and believe his vision is both necessary and achievable."
The Times issued a statement: "Our reporter had been misled by an individual falsely claiming to be [de Blasio]... We have apologised to Bill de Blasio and removed the article immediately."
The hoax spread fast: NY Post ran it initially, later updating; Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi shared, mocking Mamdani's plans as "glitter and vibes."
With NYC's Nov. 4 election a week away—Mamdani (D) leading Cuomo (I) and Sliwa (R)—the incident fueled attacks on the front-runner's costly platform amid a heated race.