The Verdict [Fake]
The original video is from Mukesh Ambani's virtual address during the Reliance Family Day event in December 2022.
What's the claim?
A 59-second video, purportedly featuring Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani endorsing a stock trading mentorship program, is circulating on Facebook.
Ambani can be heard outlining strategies for multiplying investments in the video. He invites viewers to follow him and his student ‘Veenit’ for personalized investment advice and stock trading insights. Boasting a 92.5 percent success rate, he encourages people to stay informed on real-time stock market trends and develop sustainable, long-term profit strategies.
The post includes a link to an external website named "COMEMEETUS.TOP," which prompts users to join a WhatsApp group.
Archived versions of the post can be accessed here, here, and here.
However, the video is a deepfake featuring Ambani. The original video is from Ambani's virtual address during the Reliance Family Day event in December 2022. It has been manipulated to make it seem like he is endorsing an investment opportunity.
What did we notice about the clip?
In the viral clip, we noted several irregularities.
The voice resembled Ambani’s voice in some manner, but it featured an unusual accent.
There was a noticeable discrepancy between the lip movements and the audio, indicating a lack of synchronization.
We noticed some signs of digital alteration around the mouth, a feature typical of manipulated videos.
Where is the video from?
Using InVID, we fragmented the video into multiple keyframes and conducted a reverse image search on a few of them. This led us to a video report published by Business Today on December 30, 2022.
The report shows an approximately two-minute snippet of Ambani's virtual address on the 90th birth anniversary celebration of Reliance India Limited Founder Dhirubhai Ambani. Titled "India Can Become $40 Trillion Economy By 2047, Says Mukesh Ambani," the report added that the video was recorded on December 28, 2022.
In this footage, Ambani appeared dressed exactly as he did in the viral clip and stood against the same backdrop.
We also found the complete speech posted on Reliance Updates' YouTube Channel on January 2, 2023.
What did Ambani say in the original video?
In the video, Ambani reaffirmed the company's commitment to its founding principles of integrity, excellence, and empathy. He underscored Reliance's pivotal role in India's transformation amidst global uncertainty, citing initiatives in 5G technology, retail expansion, and new energy ventures. He also praised Reliance Foundation's efforts in education, healthcare, and environmental conservation under Nita Ambani's leadership.
He urged employees to cultivate a winner's mindset, drawing inspiration from Swami Vivekananda's teachings. While acknowledging the virtual nature of the Family Day celebration this year, Ambani expressed optimism about future in-person gatherings and extended warm wishes for a prosperous New Year to all Reliance family members.
There is no evidence in the form of official statements or press releases indicating that Ambani launched or endorsed any stock trading mentorship program.
What about ‘Veenit’?
We noted that apart from the mention of ‘Veenit’, purportedly Ambani’s student, the viral clip included a photograph seemingly of the same individual.
Upon conducting a reverse image search of this image, we were led to a report by Moneycontrol featuring Nitin Bhasin, the co-head of Institutional Equities and the head of equity research at Ambit Capital. It was apparent that Bhasin's photo had been altered and used in the viral clip.
However, we were unable to determine the original source of the individual's face depicted in the viral clip.
Where do the posts lead?
The viral posts also included a link to a website labeled 'comemeetus.top,' encouraging viewers to click into the message promoting free membership.
However, upon clicking the link in the posts, we were redirected to a WhatsApp Group Invite for "Priyal Bagri".
Bagri’s LinkedIn profile, with a photo that matches her as the person in this WhatsApp display picture, describes her as a partner at Nathibai Tulsidas Investments. According to a Facebook post by FICCI FLO Ahmedabad, which carries the same photo as the group display picture, she is an ‘investor, trader, and an entrepreneur’.
We also checked the domain details of this website on ‘WhoIs.com’ and found that it had been registered in the United States on January 1, 2024.
The verdict
A video purportedly featuring Mukesh Ambani advising viewers to follow his student ‘Veenit’ for investment tips is clearly a manipulated video. The original footage dates back to 2022, when Ambani spoke at the Reliance Family Day event.