Video of U.S. TV personalities promoting 'neuropathy cure' uses deepfake audio

What's the claim?

A Facebook video featuring Fox News anchor Jesse Watters and Shark Tank panelist and businessman Kevin O'Leary claims they endorse a drug that cures neuropathy.

In the 11-minute clip, Watters allegedly states, "The medical community is in uproar after the revelation of Kevin O'Leary's remedy that can treat any neuropathy disease. The remedy is facing huge success, and people are eager to obtain it." A banner in the video reads, "SHARK TANK KEVIN O'LEARY REMEDY WILL REVOLUTIONIZE MODERN MEDICINE! TREATMENT FOR NEUROPATHY DISEASES (sic)."

At the 13-second mark, O'Leary stresses the urgency for neuropathy patients to take action, describing the condition as prevalent and dangerous, with risks like organ damage and blindness. He claims the medication offers quick relief, restores bodily functions by enhancing circulation, and consists entirely of natural ingredients.

O'Leary further claims that the remedy addresses issues such as high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction, and can be discontinued after the treatment course, promoting overall health. He directs viewers to order it from the official website linked in the video, urging them to seize the opportunity for better health.

At 1 minute and 22 seconds, text appears stating, "The offer is valid for 10 minutes! Urgently click the link below," alongside a ticking clock.

Screenshot of the viral Facebook post. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

The video (archived here), captioned "My Neuropathy Was Gone In 3 Days | Find out why those struggling with neuropathy are finding relief with this," has been manipulated. The video is a combination of unrelated clips with deepfake audio overlaid to falsely suggest that Watters discussed a neuropathy remedy endorsed by O'Leary on Fox News.

What did we find?

Upon locating and reviewing the original footage used in the viral video, we confirmed that neither Watters nor O'Leary ever publicly discussed neuropathy or promoted a cure for the condition.

Clip featuring Jesse Watters

A reverse image search of a keyframe from the first 12 seconds of the Facebook video featuring Jesse Watters revealed that the original footage, titled "Jesse Watters: 'Bombshell' report reveals it's worse than it looks for Biden," was uploaded to Fox News' official YouTube channel on June 6, 2024 (archived here).

In the original 6-minute and 4-second clip, Watters appears in the same suit and red tie, with the same background seen in the manipulated video. From the 4:55 to 5:08 mark, he uses identical hand gestures, but he actually says, "If that doesn't work, it's back to the original Plan B. Sources tell Dana Perino that after the Wall Street Journal report, there are rumblings of replacing Biden at the top of the ticket with Kamala." 

This segment was edited to falsely depict Watters as discussing O'Leary's supposed neuropathy remedy. Although the audio mimics Watters' voice, his lip movements are out of sync with the altered audio, indicating the use of artificial intelligence to clone his voice and overlay it onto the video.

Moreover, the original news text beneath the video, which read "DEMS GO BACK TO PLAN B: KAMALA JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME," was changed in the viral video. The altered text also contains a misspelling—"REVOLUTIONIZE" is written as "REVOLUTIONTZE." Such errors are highly unlikely in professional broadcasts from reputable news outlets.

Comparison of a screenshot from the Facebook video with the original video. (Source: Facebook/YouTube)

Clip featuring O'Leary

A reverse image search on segments featuring O'Leary confirmed that the clips were taken from two separate videos and manipulated to falsely suggest that he was promoting a neuropathy drug. Although the audio closely mimics O'Leary's voice, the lip movements do not consistently match, creating an unnatural effect, likely due to the use of artificial intelligence.

The first clip, running from 13 to 18 seconds, is sourced from a YouTube video (archived here) posted on O'Leary's official channel titled "5 Brutal Truths Men Need to Accept to Live Their Best Lives." In the original footage, O'Leary introduces the video by saying, "Mr. Wonderful here. In this video, I'm gonna share the brutal truths you need to accept to live your best life," which corresponds to the lip movements in the viral video during that time.

The second segment, lasting from 25 to 30 seconds, is also from this YouTube video, specifically between the 3:20 and 3:25 marks. In this portion, O'Leary discusses the importance of continuously building knowledge, stating, "...that you're passionate about because you want to learn more."

The final clip, starting at the 53-second mark and running up to 1 minute and 4 seconds, features O'Leary in the same black jacket and red pocket square against a brown wall with a plant in the background. This footage originates from a post on O'Leary's Instagram on July 14, 2023  (archived here), in which he discusses how pursuing money for its own sake is unfulfilling and argues that true success comes from seeking personal freedom.

Comparison of a screenshot of the Facebook video with the original video posted on Instagram. (Source: Facebook/Instagram)

Malicious link inside Facebook post

The Facebook post links to an article alleging that MIT chemists Donna and Rosy Khalife secured a $2.5 million deal on Shark Tank for a CBD gummy called GlucoBio Blood, which claims to relieve neuropathy. The article promotes discounted bottles of the product with a "CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR DISCOUNTED BOTTLE NOW" button and suggests the gummies may also aid in managing arthritis and insomnia. Although it displays logos of reputable news outlets, the website ultimately directs users only to a sales page for the gummies.

The Khalife sisters are known for pitching (archived here) their subscription service, Surprise Ride, on Shark Tank (a TV show in which entrepreneurs make business presentations to a panel comprising venture capitalists) in 2014.

Although they didn’t secure a deal then, they accepted an offer from O'Leary in 2016 (archived here) on Beyond the Tank (a companion spin-off series to Shark Tank). However, there is no evidence they returned to promote any CBD gummy product. Neither Donna nor Rosy Khalife’s online profiles mention involvement with CBD gummies.

Logically Facts contacted Fat Brain Toys World Headquarters, which acquired Surprise Ride in 2018, and the Khalife sisters for comment. This fact-check will be updated if and when we receive a response.

Neuropathy, which affects nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, causes numbness, weakness, or tingling in the body. While some research suggests CBD oil may help relieve neuropathy pain, no credible evidence supports the claim that GlucoBio Blood can cure neuropathy. The marketing deceptions surrounding the product raise further suspicion. It is always advisable to consult a doctor before using medications advertised online.

The verdict

The video featuring Jesse Watters and Kevin O'Leary has been manipulated using deepfake technology to falsely show them endorsing a neuropathy cure. Various unrelated clips were combined and altered to create this false impression.