George Soros Dead? Billionaire’s Obituary Published In Error

Don’t believe everything you read. For instance, George Soros’ obituary. The billionaire’s obit was published in error today by Reuters.

The half-written obituary appeared on Reuters website earlier today. The obituary has been removed and Reuters has issued an apology.

A statement on the website reads: “Reuters erroneously published an advance obituary of financier and philanthropist George Soros. A spokesman for Soros said that the New York-based financier is alive and well. Reuters regrets the error.”

Soros is getting up there in age, he’s now 82-years-old, and Reuters is apparently making sure that it is ready when the billionaire kicks the bucket. The news organization already has the obituary written, minus a few important details.

The obituary reads: “George Soros, who died XXX at age XXX, was a predatory and hugely successful financier and investor, who argued paradoxically for years against the same sort of free-wheeling capitalism that made him billions.”

Soros may be a little offended that Reuters is waiting in the wings to publish his obituary but at least the billionaire, who has a net worth of about $13 billion according to Forbes, can read what people will say about him after his death.

Todd Eastman writes: “He was known as “the man who broke the Bank of England” for selling short the British pound in 1992 and helping force the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, which devalued the pound and earned Soros more than $1 billion … (He was) an enigma, wrapped in intellect, contradiction and money.”

Reuters’ George Soros obituary error comes during a rather embarrassing week for the national media. There have been several egregious errors made this week in regard to the Boston Marathon bombing investigation. CNN was criticized for erroneously reporting that someone had been arrested related to the crime and the NY Post was chastised for publishing photos of two men who were not suspects in the case.

At least Reuters error is kind of funny.