Real money, fake musicians.

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The Big Story
Wed. Aug 31, 2022

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Real Money, Fake Musicians: Inside a Million-Dollar Instagram Verification Scheme <[link removed]> A jeweler. A plastic surgeon. An OnlyFans Model. They and others received a blue check in likely the biggest Instagram verification scheme revealed to date. After ProPublica started asking questions, Meta removed badges from over 300 accounts. by Craig Silverman and Bianca Fortis

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As Colorado River Dries, the U.S. Teeters on the Brink of Larger Water Crisis <[link removed]> The megadrought gripping the western states is only part of the problem. Alternative sources of water are also imperiled, and the nation’s food along with it. by Abrahm Lustgarten <[link removed]>

Why Outlawing Ghost Guns Didn’t Stop America’s Largest Maker of Ghost Gun Parts <[link removed]> Unregistered, unserialized weapons produced with Polymer80 parts have turned up at crime scenes across the country, but state-level efforts to close ghost gun loopholes continue to fall short. by Anjeanette Damon <[link removed]>

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