The claims raised by Vudi Xhimshiti that the wife of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Gabriel Escobar receives funds from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, have been denied by the US State Department.
In articles published on 14th and 22nd of March, 2024, on the platform "Frontliner," the author Vudi Xhymshiti writes that the wife of the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary, Gabriel Escobar, has financial ties to the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, he only supports this claim with a hyperlink to an exhibit hosted by the Serbian Embassy in Washington in December 2022, where Escobar's wife was present along with other guests.
The only evidence he provides is a contract between McGinnis Lochridge LLP and the Government of the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, dated December 23rd, 2019. This contract pertains to advising and representing the Republic of Srpska in international legal matters.
In his reporting, Xhymshiti attempts to implicate Gabriel Escobar by associating him with a McGinnis Lochridge LLP employee, Manuel Escobar, who coincidentally shares the same surname as Gabriel Escobar, thereby questioning his ethical integrity. However, he does not provide any factual evidence for this claim.
Suspicions about the credibility of the American Envoy are mentioned in the context of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. In his articles, Xhymshiti questions the impartiality of Escobar, although the stance he has expressed on Kosovo-Serbia issues aligns with the official U.S. policy.
The article was published at a time when Escobar and other U.S. officials stated that the U.S. partnership with Kosovo was being questioned due to the government's decision to ban the Serbian dinar in Kosovo.
Sbunker has sought clarifications from the U.S. Department of State (DOS) regarding these allegations. All these claims made by Xhymshiti have been labeled as falsehoods by the DOS.
“These allegations made by Vudi Xhymshiti are proven falsehoods. The wife of Deputy Assistant Secretary Escobar has never received funds from the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Escobar also has no familial connection with the alleged partner at the Texas law firm McGinnis Lochridge LLP. It is irresponsible to publish such fabrications,” states the response from the DOS.
Describing them as baseless and offensive rumors, the DOS has encouraged journalists to “fact-check before spreading them.” Misinformation has been characterized as a threat to the U.S. and its partners.
In their response to Sbunker, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) also highlighted the dangers posed by misinformation.
"As a general matter, we recognize that misinformation constitutes a significant threat to democratic societies. It poisons social discourse, deepens divisions, and poses a threat to the national security of the United States, as well as our allies and partners," states the response from the DOS.
*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. “Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.”
