Ukraine's first lady did not purchase a Bugatti with taxpayer money

Context

There are allegations on social media that, during her last trip to Paris, Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, purchased the newest Bugatti Tourbillon for €4.5 million. The claims also suggest that the Zelenskyy family uses taxpayers' money for personal purchases. The posts cite a suspected deepfake video by a Bugatti employee and a doctored invoice, allegedly obtained by journalists, as proof. The claim has been shared on Facebook (archived here and here), and X, formerly known as Twitter (archived here and here), gaining millions of views across different platforms.

However, according to research done by Logically Facts, these allegations are unfounded. The alleged proof cited in the posts is, in all likelihood, fabricated or deepfakes. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. has also stated that Olena Zelenska is not a customer.

In fact

Olena Zelenska did not purchase the newest Bugatti Tourbillon car for €4.5 million during a trip to Paris in June 2024. The claim originates from an obscure French news website that pushes pro-Russian narratives through AI-generated articles. According to the BBC, the page belongs to a network of pro-Russia websites masquerading as local American or, in this case, French newspapers to promote false narratives ahead of the U.S. election and to undermine Ukraine's government. Although there is no conclusive evidence linking this false news website to the Russian state, researchers note that the scale and sophistication of the operation are reminiscent of past Kremlin-backed efforts to disseminate disinformation in the West. See Logically Facts' take on Kremlin propaganda here.

A fabricated statement was also shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), along with a video (archived here) of a man presenting himself as an employee of Bugatti. He claims that he was the one who, along with representatives from Bugatti automobiles, organized a private presentation of the Bugatti Tourbillon for the Ukrainian delegation on June 7, which led to Olena Zelenska pre-ordering the vehicle. The video is most probably a deepfake. On closer inspection, one can see that the head of the alleged employee does not move in accordance with the body. Moreover, it also depicts occasional unnatural movements, such as the one on his sleeve at 1:04. According to a comment given by Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. to France 24, the person on the video is not their employee. 

The invoice included in the posts is also fabricated. Firstly, several obligatory elements, such as currency and VAT number, are missing from the invoice. Secondly, it has grammatical errors; for example, the delivery address Neuilly-sur-Seine is missing an "l."

Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. has also issued a press release and supported it with additional social media posts. They also provided Logically Facts with the following statement: "Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. is aware of reports that are suggesting a recent purchase of a Bugatti vehicle by Mrs. Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine. The reports include an alleged invoice from the Paris Bugatti showroom. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. respects the privacy of its customers and does not normally disclose any information about its customers. In this case, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. makes an exception because it is a false report and does not correspond to the truth. According to an internal check, Mrs. Zelenska is not a Bugatti customer. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. does not wish to comment on or anticipate any further assessments regarding the suggested reports besides that it is 'fake news.'" 

Unfounded claims regarding high-priced purchases made by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or his wife have gone viral before. Logically Facts has previously covered false claims that Zelenskyy bought two mega-yachts worth $75 million, the Ukrainian President acquired the Highgrove mansion from the British royal family, and that Mr. Zelenskyy bought a casino resort in Cyprus.

The verdict

The claim that Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska bought a Bugatti Tourbillon for €4.5 million in June 2024 is false. It is based on a false news article from a suspected Kremlin-backed news website, a suspected deepfake, and a fake invoice. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. has also denied the allegations.