London man of Greek descent misidentified as street artist Banksy

Photos circulating online and successful some media outlets person misidentified Londoner of Greek descent George Georgiou, 69, arsenic street creator Banksy pursuing a Reuters study connected the artist’s identity.

Some media outlets and others online person misidentified photos of a London antheral arsenic the British street creator Banksy. The man, George Georgiou, [a Londoner of Greek descent who was calved and raised successful the city], is not Banksy. 

Photos of Georgiou ​were published aft a Reuters probe past week revealed Banksy’s identity.

The March 13 Reuters ‌special study made nationalist for the archetypal clip documents that corroborate Banksy is Robin Gunningham. Gunningham has since taken the sanction David Jones, Reuters determined. Banksy’s lawyer did not corroborate oregon contradict the artist’s identity.

Reporting the findings of the ​Reuters investigation, media outlets including the New York Post, Britain’s The Sun, and LADbible – on with widely ​viewed κοινωνικά media posts – published a photograph of a grey-haired antheral successful glasses and ⁠claimed oregon suggested that helium was Gunningham.

Rather, helium is Georgiou, a 69-year-old antheral from London. Reuters ​did not people Georgiou’s photograph with its investigation.

None of the quality outlets that published photos of Georgiou ​responded to requests for remark from Reuters. The New York Post has removed the photograph from the study connected its website, a examination with an archived nonfiction shows.

On March 18, Georgiou confirmed successful a video telephone with Reuters that helium ​is not Gunningham.

‘I’m not Banksy. I’m a attraction man’

Georgiou is listed connected Britain’s firm registry arsenic a erstwhile manager of ​his son Alex’s property bureau business, done which Reuters archetypal made contact.

In the video interview, Georgiou said helium ‌had received ⁠phone calls from up to 30 radical a time astir his mistaken individuality successful the past week, and the attraction has grown to beryllium “too much.”

“I’m not Banksy. I’m a attraction man,” helium said.

The viral miscaptioned photograph was changeable successful precocious March 2024, when media archetypal mistook Georgiou for the street ​artist.

Georgiou told the MailOnline, astatine the ​time – and recounted ⁠again successful the video telephone with Reuters – that it shows him overseeing a integrative expanse installation implicit a Banksy mural. That mural had been defaced days ​after it archetypal appeared connected a northbound London spot owned by Georgiou’s son.

Land ​registry deeds reviewed ⁠by Reuters corroborate the gathering has been owned by the son, Alex Georgiou, for much than a decade.

Georgiou besides denied being Banksy successful the 2024 interview.

“It’s an aged gag now,” helium said to Reuters ⁠in Wednesday’s ​video call, adding that he’d similar radical “to get connected ​with it now” and to beryllium near alone.

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This nonfiction was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.