Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have taken to Twitter to refute a bizarre string of news stories about donations and awards that were supposedly taking place in Greece this month.
It all started with a Tweet from a journalist named Takis Hatzis, claiming that Tom Hanks made a gift of €1 million for the archeological dig on the island of Despotiko, across from Antiparos.
Because of the donation, the Tweet says, he will be honored by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation on October 6th.
Δωρεά 1 εκ € έκανε ο Τομ Χάνκς και η Ρίτα Γουιλσον για την ανασκαφή στον αρχαιολογικό χώρο στο Δεσποτικό της Αντίπαρου.
Για την δωρεά του αυτή θα τιμηθεί απ το ίδρυμα Σταύρος Νιάρχος στις 6 Οκτωβρίου! #TomHanks pic.twitter.com/fnSjF7WgvO— Takis Hatzis (@takishatzis) September 30, 2018
Rita Wilson took to Twitter to refute the story in the Tweet, claiming that none of it was true and asking the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to look into the matter via a hashtag.
To all my dear Greek friends,this is a false story. @tomhanks and I have no idea who this person is.Tom will not be attending this event nor have we donated to any of these causes. Not sure why people would post something untrue. #stavrosniarchosfoundation Perhaps you can check? https://t.co/n012PJwryk
— Rita Wilson (@RitaWilson) October 1, 2018
The story takes a bizarre twist several days later as both Wilson and Hanks took to Twitter again to refute an organization’s claims that Hanks will be attending an event in Athens where he will be honored.
An organization called the “Hellenic Institute for Cultural Diplomacy” circulated invitations to the public for an event where they were planning to honor Tom Hanks for his “philhellenism” and his lifelong contributions to the arts and culture.
According to the invitation, the event was to take place at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens and welcome remarks were to be given by the U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt.
Rita Wilson Tweeted to her followers that the organization was misrepresenting her husband’s participation, calling it fraudulent and stating that Tom Hanks wasn’t attending any events in Greece.
.@Kathimerini_gr @tomhanks @USEmbassyAthens @SNForg Stop @HICDUK from misrepresenting. THIS IS FRAUD. PLEASE RETWEET. Tom Hanks isnt appearing at this or any events in Greece. Was never asked.Ada Ilioupoulou @adailio & Peter Dennis Kapsaskis @peterdenniskapsaskis are soliciting. pic.twitter.com/YpNhKRvRpE
— Rita Wilson (@RitaWilson) October 3, 2018
Tom Hanks also used his Twitter account to deny any involvement with the group or the event. He posted three different Tweets denying his participation and calling out the people involved.
To my friends in Greece. Someone is claiming that I am appearing at an event in Athens which is not and has never been true. Tickets are being sold with the promise of my presence.
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) October 4, 2018
I have never talked to anyone about possibly attending this event and those people who are organizing it are not being truthful about their contact with me. Please do not be fooled.
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) October 4, 2018
For the record, there is no such entity called Tom Hanks Management and any signature of mine on a contract claiming an agreement is a forgery. @USEmbassyAthens @SNForg @HICDUK @Kathimerini_gr @hicd2017 pic.twitter.com/sHkl39SvMZ
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) October 4, 2018
Even the Stavros Niarchos Foundation got involved, issuing their own statement calling the award a hoax and distancing themselves from any involvement.
As the SNFCC stated earlier (read at https://t.co/mUkH6NVZz5), the news of Mr. Tom Hanks being awarded by the SNFCC is a hoax. The #SNF created the SNFCC and, upon its completion, donated it to the Greek State. The SNF continues to support the SNFCC through grants. #RitaWilson
— ΙΣΝ | SNF (@SNForg) October 2, 2018
The whole string of activities took another bizarre twist when the Twitter account belonging to the organization in question refuted Ms. Wilson’s tweet, claiming that they had a signed contract with Hanks and calling her actions to discredit them “immoral.”
Why you would try to discredit us when we have signed a contract with Tom Hanks? This is immoral, be aware of your responsabilities.
— HICD (@hicd2017) October 3, 2018
The organization insisted they had signed contracts for Mr. Hanks’ appearance with a company called “Tom Hanks Management,” something Hanks himself refuted exists in a separate Tweet.
For the record, there is no such entity called Tom Hanks Management and any signature of mine on a contract claiming an agreement is a forgery. @USEmbassyAthens @SNForg @HICDUK @Kathimerini_gr @hicd2017 pic.twitter.com/sHkl39SvMZ
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) October 4, 2018
The organization then issued a statement implying that they had been hoodwinked by someone claiming to represent Tom Hanks, stating in a Greek-language release that they were investigating whether they and their representatives fell victims to fraud.
Rita Wilson, however, didn’t buy the excuse, Tweeting that “I predicted that’s what they would say to cover these actions.”
I predicted that’s what they would say to cover these actions. https://t.co/9FTXRQ9dvd
— Rita Wilson (@RitaWilson) October 4, 2018
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