CLAIM:

Bill Gates has been indicted in the Netherlands for lying to the public about COVID-19 vaccines

FACT: 

Not true, a Dutch court has merely accepted jurisdiction to hear a civil case involving vaccine-related claims

A recent Dutch court ruling that it has jurisdiction to hear civil claims against Bill Gates related to COVID-19 vaccines has been misrepresented on social media as Gates being "indicted" in the Netherlands. Some posts have wrongly suggested that the ruling involves criminal charges against the Microsoft co-founder. 

🚨WONDERFUL NEWS🚨

“Bill Gates has just been indicted, he’s been indicted in the Netherlands for lying to the public about the Covid vaccine” -@RobertKennedyJr at @TPAction_ Town Hall with @realDonaldTrump.

CROWD ERUPTS WITH APPLAUSE pic.twitter.com/0sd204ST0d

— Bryce Lipscomb 🇺🇸 (@BryceMLipscomb) October 24, 2024

“Bill Gates has been INDICTED in the Netherlands! Is it likely he'll experience consequences?” an X user posted 

The narrative originates from comments made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a rally for Donald Trump in Georgia on October 23. Kennedy claimed that Gates had been "indicted in the Netherlands for lying to the public about the COVID vaccine."

This was followed by a barrage of posts on social media about Gates’ indictment. 

“RFK - “Bill Gates has just been indicted.” Crowd Cheers “He’s been indicted in the Netherlands for lying to the public about the Covid vaccine.” Crowd Cheers Again. “And he’s going to have to go to trial,” read a post on X.

RFK - “Bill Gates has just been indicted.” Crowd Cheers

“He’s been indicted in the Netherlands for lying to the public about the Covid vaccine.” Crowd Cheers Again.

“And he’s going to have to go to trial.”

Article linked in comments#RFKJr #BillGates #vaccinegenocide pic.twitter.com/1nUK8KFDaU

— Culture War (@CultureWar2020) October 24, 2024

“Bill Gates has just been indicted, he’s been indicted in the Netherlands for lying to the public about the Covid vaccine,” read another post.

However, Gates has not been indicted in the Netherlands

In an interview with First Check, Dr J.P. Burger, a journalism and new media lecturer at Leiden University, said “the trial of Gates would be all over the news in Netherlands and worldwide if it were true, but it is not. It is not a complete fantasy either.”

“This is about a civil lawsuit, not a criminal case, on behalf of a number of Dutch citizens, one of whom has passed away, who claim that the COVID vaccinations they received caused serious health problems,” Dr Burger said.

 “Their lawyers claim that the COVID pandemic and vaccinations are part of an international conspiracy (‘The Great Reset’), and have lodged a complaint against those responsible, including Bill Gates, Pfizer CEO Alfred Bourla and former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte,” he added.

Dr Burger revealed that, despite a lawyer representing Gates arguing during a September hearing that the court (Rechtbank Noord-Nederland) lacked jurisdiction over him, the court ruled that it did have jurisdiction.

“On October 16, the court dismissed the claim by Gates’ lawyer that it did not have jurisdiction and ordered Gates to pay the costs of the proceedings (€ 1.406,00). The next hearing will be on November 24, in the same court (i.e. a District Court). Bill Gates did not attend the September hearing and as far as I know, it has not been made public whether he will appear in person at the November 24 hearing,” he said.

Also read: Fact-Check: Bill Gates hasn’t scheduled the next pandemic in 2025 - First Check

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