A Trans Pilot Was Falsely Blamed for a Plane Crash. Now She’s Fighting the Right-Wing Disinfo Machine
On January 29, a Blackhawk helicopter collided with a commercial airliner in the skies over Washington, DC. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft, including the pilots. As investigations into the cause of the crash began, a different narrative was already taking hold online – one that falsely implicated a pilot who was not even present during the collision.
Within just two days of the crash, a dangerous rumor began to spread rapidly across various online platforms. On the morning of January 31, Jo Ellis, a part-time pilot with the Virginia Army National Guard, woke up to alarming messages from a friend. The messages warned her that her name was circulating online, falsely identifying her as the pilot responsible for the deadly crash. Initially, Ellis believed it might be an isolated mistake, perhaps stemming from an essay she had recently published about her experiences as a transgender pilot serving in Virginia. However, upon logging into Facebook, she quickly realized the situation was far more widespread and malicious than she had imagined.
“I opened my Facebook messages to see hundreds of message requests asking me “Are you alive?” or saying things like ‘I know you’re the tranny who did it?,” Ellis recounted in April, nearly three months after the incident, speaking from a café in Richmond, Virginia. The sudden onslaught of hateful and accusatory messages left her reeling. “I was shocked and immediately concerned for the safety of my loved ones.”
The piece of disinformation gained traction just days after President Donald Trump had issued an executive order reinstating a ban on most transgender people serving or enlisting in the US military. The timing seemed calculated to leverage existing political tensions and prejudices. A prominent example of the false narrative came from right-wing influencer Matt Wallace, who commands a large following of 2.3 million on X (formerly Twitter). A now-deleted post from Wallace read, “A transgender Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the military wrote a long letter about ‘Gender Dysphoria’ and depression 1 day before the fatal crash! What happened may have been another trans terror attack …” This single post was viewed an astonishing 4.8 million times, demonstrating the immense reach and speed of online falsehoods.
Other prominent figures also participated in spreading the false narrative. Ann Vandersteel, a Qanon promoter with over 360,000 followers on X, also shared false information about Ellis in posts that were later deleted. Vandersteel subsequently published a retraction, though the initial damage was done. The disinformation even seeped into AI systems, with people asking X’s AI chatbot Grok, which erroneously named Ellis as the pilot responsible for the crash, lending a veneer of artificial authority to the baseless rumor. The sheer volume of discussion propelled Ellis to become the second most trending topic on the platform, with more than 90,000 posts mentioning her in connection with the crash.
Faced with this onslaught of false accusations and online vitriol, Ellis immediately took action to defend herself and set the record straight. She released a “proof of life” video, directly addressing the rumors and confirming she was alive and not involved in the crash. However, the experience prompted her to pursue further accountability. In April, she filed a defamation lawsuit against Matt Wallace in the US District Court in Colorado, alleging that he orchestrated a “destructive and irresponsible defamation campaign” against her. Wallace and his legal team did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment. Following Ellis’s proof-of-life video, Wallace did update his X posts to acknowledge that the pilot was alive and not responsible for the crash, but he also attempted to shift the blame to another X account, @FakeGayPolitics, which has since been suspended, according to the lawsuit.
A Disturbing Pattern of Scapegoating Transgender People
Ellis’ experience is not an isolated incident but rather the latest example in a worrying and escalating trend observed on the conservative internet. Right-wing accounts and influencers are increasingly targeting transgender people, baselessly blaming them for national tragedies, mass shootings, and other violent incidents. This pattern often involves scouring social media for pictures and unverified clues to falsely connect trans individuals as perpetrators, entirely without evidence.
A review of news reports and the fact-checking database ClaimReview reveals a disturbing consistency: since 2022, there have been at least a dozen documented incidents where a transgender person was wrongly blamed for a tragedy or violent event. This pattern emerges with predictable regularity following high-profile incidents.
For instance, in December, false claims circulated that a school shooter in Madison, Wisconsin, who killed two people, was transgender. This was entirely untrue. Just six months prior, in July, a trans woman was erroneously identified as the individual who attempted to shoot former President Trump at an open-air rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The speed and confidence with which these false identifications are made are striking.
Following the tragic shootings in Minnesota in June, which resulted in the assassination of state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injuries to state Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Donald Trump Jr. asserted that the radical transgender movement is “per capita the most violent domestic terror threat if not in America, probably the entire world.” This statement, made without evidence and immediately after a tragedy, exemplifies how political figures leverage such events to promote anti-trans narratives. (It is worth noting that the alleged shooter in the Minnesota attacks is reported to run an armed security company and has ties to an evangelical group, with no connection to the transgender community.) Even Elon Musk, owner of X, has contributed to this climate, suggesting on the platform that transgender people are responsible for vandalizing Teslas across the country.
“Whenever there’s a school shooting or a mass tragedy, if I search for that along with the city name and the word trans, I will get pretty immediate hits on that,” noted Grace Abels, an LGBTQ fact-checker with PolitiFact. Abels has been diligently tracking and debunking transgender-related mis- and disinformation for two years, observing this pattern solidify. “This has become a consistent pattern of rumor.”
The Motivation and Mechanisms Behind the False Claims
Researchers and trans advocacy groups warn that this persistent pattern of dehumanizing transgender people through false accusations has severe consequences. Beyond simply distracting the public from the real issues surrounding tragedies, it fuels real-life harms, including increased violence and harassment against LGBTQ individuals. Research consistently shows that transgender people are significantly more likely to be victims of violence compared to their cisgender counterparts, being four times more vulnerable.
According to a report from LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, between May 2024 and May 2025, there was a 14 percent increase in reported injuries and one death among trans and gender-nonconforming people. These statistics stand in stark contrast to the baseless claims linking trans people to mass shootings. Data from the Gun Violence Archive indicates that out of 4,400 mass shootings in the past decade, fewer than 10 known suspects were trans, representing a tiny fraction (0.11 percent) of the total.
Experts suggest that one primary motivation behind portraying transgender people as perpetrators of mass violence is to create a justification for discrimination and bigotry against them. “Spreading false claims about trans people being mass shooters [or causing other violence] fits the pattern of dehumanizing trans people to justify this bigotry against them,” explained Kayla Gogarty, a research director at Media Matters, an organization that monitors online hate speech, including that directed at transgender individuals. “This is part of a larger pattern that we see within the right-wing-media echo chamber.”
The falsehoods spread about trans people following violent events can range from genuine misinformation, where individuals mistakenly believe and share incorrect information, to deliberate disinformation, as seen in Jo Ellis’s case. Disinformation, according to Thomas Billard, an associate professor at Northwestern University specializing in transgender studies, is characterized by a deliberate intent to deceive and incite hatred. “These are people who either know that the person involved isn’t trans and are saying that they are anyways or have no idea who the school shooter or the pilot is; the purpose is just to make other people hate them,” Billard stated.
Despite transgender people constituting less than 1 percent of the US population, they have become a frequent target of political attacks, particularly from figures like former President Trump. His administration implemented several executive orders targeting the community, including restrictions on military service, funding for youth gender-affirming care, and participation in women’s sports. This political climate is mirrored at the state level, with at least 116 state anti-trans bills having passed this year alone. Furthermore, certain words, including “trans” and “transgender,” have reportedly been removed from federal agency websites, a move seen by many as an attempt to erase the community.
Targeting transgender communities is part of a “tired playbook” that is repeatedly deployed, according to a GLAAD spokesperson. They highlighted that similar smear campaigns have historically been used against other marginalized groups, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs), immigrants, and Black Americans. “People will always look for an easy scapegoat for tragedies,” commented Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise, Poynter’s digital media literacy project. “And it’s usually the most underserved groups who get targeted, because political operatives know they can easily exploit those situations for political gains.” Mahadevan added that the past couple of years have seen a significant rise in all manner of falsehoods directed at trans people.
The Real-Life Impact and Fight for Accountability
The days immediately following the disinformation storm were incredibly difficult for Jo Ellis. Her personal information, including past and current social media accounts, legal name, nicknames, and even pictures of her and her cousin, were compiled and shared online. The deluge of hateful messages and death threats on Facebook left her fearing for her life and the safety of her family. The situation was so severe that she requested her employer, a retail company, to provide armed security guards outside her home on the day the rumors peaked. “I had moments where I was breaking down from the stress and pressure of it all, because I just didn’t know what was going to happen,” Ellis recalled, describing how she went into hiding at a friend’s place for the weekend to escape the immediate threat. Even months later, the strain of the incident was visible during our conversation. Dressed casually, Ellis pointed to her purse, explaining that she has been carrying a firearm with her at all times since the incident, a stark indicator of the lasting impact on her sense of safety. “I am always looking over my back,” she said.
Weeks after being falsely blamed for the crash, Ellis began to experience an unsettling form of recognition in public, particularly when visiting Washington, DC. Her life, which had previously been private and anonymous, was suddenly thrust into the public eye. She described how people in public spaces would either look at her with familiarity or approach her directly to ask if she was “that pilot.” “Three months ago, I was nobody,” Ellis said in April, still processing the sudden shift in her life. The global reach of the disinformation became apparent when a friend who owns a bar in Amsterdam messaged her, asking if she was okay and mentioning that people at the bar were discussing the fact that she was being falsely blamed for the crash. “It was just so crazy how far it went,” Ellis added, highlighting the viral nature of online falsehoods.
The defamation lawsuit filed against Matt Wallace represents Ellis’s effort to seek damages for the significant harm caused to her “reputation, privacy, [and] safety.” As of April, Wallace had not counter-filed. The lawsuit is being handled by the Equality Legal Action Fund, a group of volunteer attorneys and advocates dedicated to helping members of the LGBTQ community combat online defamation and harassment.
Meg Phelan, an attorney with the Equality Legal Action Fund involved in Ellis’s case, highlighted existing legal precedents that support such lawsuits. She cited the case where conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was ordered to pay $965 million in damages to the families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting after falsely claiming the massacre was a hoax. Another relevant case involved Fox News, which settled out of court with Dominion Voting Systems over false allegations of election fraud following the 2020 presidential election. These cases demonstrate that individuals and organizations can be held legally accountable for spreading harmful falsehoods. Phelan acknowledged that many potential plaintiffs are hesitant to file such suits due to fear of drawing more attention or facing repercussions. “People are scared, and they are scared to bring these suits to bring more attention to themselves and any repercussions that may come from filing these lawsuits,” she said. However, she expressed optimism that successful outcomes in cases like Ellis’s could encourage others to come forward. “I think once we get a couple of these cases resolved, people will be more inclined to file these suits, assuming they play out the way that we think they will.” Phelan is currently handling four such cases.
Tracing the Roots of Anti-Trans Disinformation
One of the earlier documented instances of a trans person being falsely blamed for a tragedy, identified in our review, occurred after the May 2022 Uvalde school shooting in Texas, where a male gunman killed 19 children and two adults. Almost immediately after the tragedy, social media trolls began circulating images of Sam, a trans woman from Georgia, along with photos of two other trans women, attempting to link them to the shooting. There was absolutely no evidence connecting these women to the horrific crime. This false rumor originated on the anonymous online message board 4Chan, a platform known for hosting extremist content and coordinating online harassment campaigns. From there, the rumor was picked up and amplified by prominent social media accounts and figures, giving it wider attention and apparent credibility.
In this specific instance, the false claim was repeated and amplified by Arizona congressman Paul Gosar, a Republican, and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, further boosting the rumor’s reach and perceived legitimacy among their followers. Gosar and Jones did not respond to WIRED’s requests for comment regarding their role in spreading this falsehood.
The impact on Sam was immediate and severe. In response to the false accusations and harassment, she posted her image on Reddit with a clear caption: “It’s not me. I don’t even live in Texas.” She later told NBC News that while she had experienced harassment before as a trans person, this was the first time she was being accused of murder, highlighting the extreme and dangerous nature of this particular form of disinformation.
Two months later, on July 4, 2022, a gunman opened fire during an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing seven people. In this case, the shooter was apprehended and identified as a male. However, because the shooter had reportedly dressed in women’s clothing during the attack, right-wing accounts seized on this detail to classify him as transgender, despite evidence suggesting he wore the clothing and makeup to disguise his facial tattoos and evade identification. This incident demonstrates how even tangential or misleading details can be weaponized to fit a pre-existing anti-trans narrative.
An account that has consistently amplified anti-trans narratives and disinformation is LibsofTikTok, run by Chaya Raichik, which boasts 4.3 million followers on X. In January 2024, Raichik shared a meme falsely claiming that five mass shootings dating back to 2018 were carried out by transgender or nonbinary individuals. While three of the instances mentioned in the meme reportedly involved individuals who were trans or nonbinary, one was definitively false, and the identity of the perpetrator in the fifth case was unclear. Despite inaccuracies, these posts remain active on social media platforms, even though Raichik has reportedly admitted that the claims were not entirely true. Raichik did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
Matt Wallace, the influencer being sued by Jo Ellis, also frequently posts content targeting trans people. In January 2024, he made false claims on X that “100% of mass school shootings this year have been carried out by LGBTQ activists.” This post alone garnered 1.8 million views. A month later, in the aftermath of the Lakewood church shooting in Texas, Wallace posted an image of the shooter, falsely claiming she was transgender, despite fact-checkers and news outlets confirming the shooter was a woman. Ellis’s lawyer, Meg Phelan, characterized Wallace’s social media presence as having an “overarching homophonic, anti-trans” theme, suggesting that the targeting of Ellis and the broader trans community was deliberate.
Another recurring internet trend that surfaces during mass tragedies is the “Sam Hyde” meme. This involves posting images of far-right comedian Sam Hyde, often depicted wearing a wig and referred to as “Samantha Hyde,” and falsely identifying him as the perpetrator of various shootings. “Sam Hyde or Samatha Hyde is a larger internet and social media meme that emerges every time there’s a school shooting,” explained Grace Abels. While the meme may have originated as a dark joke, Abels noted that “people fall for it,” contributing to the spread of false information.
The Echo Chamber Effect and Platform Accountability
Within the right-wing media ecosystem, fringe rumors originating on platforms like 4Chan can quickly be amplified and pushed into the mainstream. “It’s a very large apparatus they have built via cable news personalities, politicians, online media figures,” said Kayla Gogarty of Media Matters. “And that apparatus is really prime to spread fear-mongering and narratives, particularly when it involves vulnerable communities.” This process is exacerbated by social media algorithms that often amplify harmful content, and by platforms like Facebook and X that have reduced or eliminated fact-checking efforts. Earlier this year, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, also loosened its rules regarding hate speech and abuse, potentially creating a more permissive environment for the spread of anti-trans disinformation.
The pattern is clear: a random hoax, often originating in the darkest corners of the internet, is picked up by a larger right-wing media personality or politician and disseminated to a massive audience. “It’s a really clear example of how that apparatus works and how quickly and efficiently they are able to spread misinformation across that ecosystem to really whatever narrative helps them in that moment,” Gogarty added. This rapid dissemination makes it incredibly difficult for the truth to catch up and counter the false narratives.
From Private Citizen to Public Advocate
Jo Ellis stated that while the initial source of the rumor blaming her for the DC crash remains unclear, it was Matt Wallace who specifically connected her identity and likeness to the incident. His substantial online following allowed him to significantly amplify the reach of the false claim, turning a baseless rumor into a viral phenomenon with real-world consequences. Ellis believes that while freedom of speech is important, it should not come at the cost of causing significant damage and harm to individuals. “Free speech is great, but if you cause damage to somebody or it causes harm or threats, I think you have to have accountability,” she stated. “I am not looking to regulate speech, but there’s some clear cases that shouldn’t be allowed.”
Prior to this traumatic experience, Ellis maintained a minimal online presence and did not even have an X account. Now, as she put it, “I am everywhere.” The incident forced her into the public spotlight, but she is determined to use this unexpected platform for good. “I didn’t want to be public, but now that I am, I am trying to take advantage of it, because it’s important to stand up for the everyday trans person getting attacked,” she explained. She has begun giving interviews and actively advocating for transgender issues, recognizing a critical need for reasoned voices in the current polarized debate. “There’s such a need for a moderate, pragmatic trans voice in the debate right now,” she said. “I think that’s the direction I am going to go: As long as people keep listening to me, I’ll keep saying things.”
Ellis believes that the right has strategically weaponized “edge cases” or isolated incidents to paint a distorted and frightening picture of all transgender people. This tactic is particularly effective, she argues, because many people do not personally know a trans person and are therefore more susceptible to believing the negative narratives they encounter online or in certain media. “There’s not enough everyday trans people showing up visibly as an example, because they want to integrate and assimilate versus stand out and make a fuss,” she observed. She sees a need for a middle ground in the public discourse, lamenting that the current political landscape seems dominated by extremes. “There’s a middle ground somewhere, but right now the political stance is either extreme right or left, and neither is good for any of us.”
Jo Ellis’s fight against Matt Wallace is more than just a personal legal battle; it is a stand against a systemic pattern of online disinformation that targets vulnerable communities and fuels real-world harm. Her courage in speaking out and pursuing accountability offers a potential path forward for others who have been similarly targeted, highlighting the urgent need to address the spread of harmful falsehoods and hold those who propagate them responsible.