The Curious Case of Patrícia Lélis: The Source Project Veritas and Gateway Pundit Used to Bash Barr
In recent weeks, Project Veritas (PV) and Gateway Pundit have relied on claims from Patrícia Lélis to launch attacks against former Attorney General Bill Barr. But in doing so, they appear to have missed — or ignored — the deeply checkered history of their chosen source.
Who Is Patrícia Lélis?
Patrícia Lélis is a Brazilian journalist and former political activist whose career has been mired in controversy — in both Brazil and the United States. Far from being a whistleblower with clean hands, she is currently a fugitive from the FBI and faces serious federal charges in the U.S. for fraud and identity theft.
Below is a breakdown of the most significant red flags:
Accused of Defrauding Immigrants of $ 700,000 in the U.S.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Lélis posed as an immigration attorney and defrauded clients out of roughly $ 700,000, offering fake visa services in exchange for large investments. Rather than using the money for legal work, she allegedly spent it on personal expenses — including a house down payment in Virginia, bathroom renovations, and credit card payments.
Charges she faces:
Wire Fraud (up to 20 years) Illegal Monetary Transactions (up to 10 years)
Aggravated Identity Theft (minimum 2 years)
The DOJ claims she even created a fictitious identity, “Jeffrey Willardsen,” to gain trust, and forced friends to impersonate fake investment firm employees to convince victims of the scheme’s legitimacy.
Fugitive Status and “Political Exile” Claim
Lélis has been on the run since January 2024, after a warrant was issued for her arrest. She inadvertently revealed her location — Cuauhtémoc, Mexico — through a social media post showing her weather app. Though the FBI reportedly knows where she is, she has not been apprehended. In response, Lélis has claimed to be a “political exile,” saying she provided evidence to an unnamed country that granted her asylum. No country has confirmed this claim.
A Pattern of Controversial Accusations in Brazil
Lélis’ public history in Brazil is just as fraught:
2016: Accused pastor and congressman Marco Feliciano of attempted rape. The case was later archived. She was indicted for false accusation and extortion after allegedly demanding hush money.
2017: Claimed threats from Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. A police investigation concluded she faked the threats using simulated Telegram messages.
2018: Ran unsuccessfully for office. Her campaign was accused of failing to pay staff. She provided no proof of having paid the intermediary.
2021: Expelled from Brazil’s Workers’ Party (PT) after being accused of transphobia, following comments about a trans woman in a public bathroom.
In several of these incidents, police reports describe Lélis as having a pattern of fabrication. A psychological evaluation even labeled her a “compulsive liar” — though she disputed the assessment’s legitimacy.
Political Opportunism or Persecution?
Lélis’ ideological trajectory — from right-wing affiliations (PSC) to left-wing activism (PT) and now political exile — has raised eyebrows. Critics see her as opportunistic and unreliable, while she maintains she’s a victim of persecution. But the current U.S. case appears far more concrete. DOJ materials reference emails, bank records, forged documents, and impersonation evidence.
Her defense rests largely on the claim of political persecution — but without independent verification of her asylum status, that narrative remains unsubstantiated.
Why This Matters
It’s unclear why Project Veritas and Gateway Pundit chose to platform Lélis without addressing her fugitive status and extensive history of controversy.
At best, this represents a failure of basic due diligence.
At worst, it’s a deliberate attempt to launder a questionable narrative through a known unreliable source.
Either way, if you’re going to cite someone as a key witness in a political scandal, it helps to check whether they’re wanted by the FBI.
Facts matter. Sources matter more.
