In the days following the death of Swedish DJ Avicii, rumors began to circulate that he died while attempting to expose a ring of pedophiles.
The story appears to have originated on two websites, Neon Nettle and Your News Wire, who are associated “fake news” outlets, according to Snopes.
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Following Avicii’s death, Neon Nettle reportedly published an article that stated “speculation to whether he was trying to expose a pedophile ring in his video ‘For A Better Day’ has been gaining momentum.”
It also noted, “Avicii hinted at exposing a child trafficking ring in his video ‘For A Better Day,’ ” and added, “The DJ has either stumbled on something that was too close to the truth of human trafficking, or he was planning to a follow up on the second video with more information.”
It is correct that in his music video for the song “For A Better Day” Avicii (real name Tim Bergling) meant to raise awareness of human trafficking, but there is absolutely no concrete evidence that he was a part of any investigation into the activity of a pedophile ring.
“The promise of a better life often traps families and children into being used as tools for some of the most despicable people on Earth,” Avicii previously said in a statement about the music video. “It’s an issue about which I hope to start a louder discussion, especially now with the huge number of families on the move from war-torn countries looking for safety and shelter.”
The two sites also indicated that the recent deaths of fellow musicians Chris Cornell and Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington were also tied to the same pedophile investigation, and that all three deaths could be due to foul play.
Research into these claims have found no evidence that they are founded on anything except baseless speculation.
At this time, there is no confirmation as to what Avicii’s cause of death was.
His family did recently release a statement, saying,”We would like to thank you for the support and the loving words about our son and brother,” the statement begins. “We are so grateful for everyone who loved Tim’s music and have precious memories of his songs.”
“Thank you for all the initiatives taken to honor Tim [Bergling, Avicii’s real name], with public gatherings, church bells ringing out his music, tributes at Coachella and moments of silence around the world,” the statement continues.
“We are grateful for the privacy during this difficult time. Our wish is that it continues that way. With love, The Tim Bergling Family,” the statement concluded.
