Controversial Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King has been called a liar by the family of two American hostages whom he claims he “worked frantically behind the scenes” to free from Hamas.
Natalie Shoshana Raanan, 17, and her mother Judith Tai Raanan, 59, arrived in Israel late Friday, the Israeli government confirmed, after leaving Gaza through an Egyptian-controlled border crossing.
King, who has a history of both controversial statements and outright fraud, said on Instagram on Friday that he had helped free the women.
The Raanans are two of more than 200 hostages taken by the Islamic terror group following the shocking massacre of at least 1,400 people in Israel on October 7.
King said “dozens of us” worked for their release and that the Raanan family “supported mine and joined us in protesting police brutality in America.”
However, the family says King is lying and that he did nothing to help the two women gain their freedom. A statement said: “First and foremost, we make it clear that he is lying!”
Controversial Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King is being called a liar by the family of two American hostages whom he claims he ‘worked frantically behind the scenes’ to free from Hamas
Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan arrived in Israel late Friday, the Israeli government confirmed.
“Our family has nothing to do with him, either directly or indirectly,” they said TMZ. “Not against him and not against anything he claims to represent.”
Uri Raanan, Natalie’s father, later said so The everyday beast that his son had contacted King, but he still had little to do with the release.
‘We have contacted many people everywhere to help get Natalie and Judith to safety. We are not affiliated with Mr. King,” he said. “Ben, my son talked to him without anyone in the family knowing until today.”
“Our family in Israel posted this statement denying that we knew him before we heard Ben talking to him,” Raanan added. “We have nothing further to say.”
King claimed in a statement that he was telling the truth, but did not specify that he had spoken to anyone other than the Raanan’s son.
“I have spoken directly and repeatedly to this family. I have a job, career and family. I would throw everything away to make something like that up,” King said. “Luckily I kept track of them all.”
King then took to Twitter and posted screenshots of several interactions and a statement guaranteeing he had spoken to Ben.
King said “dozens of us” worked for their release and that the Raanan family “supported mine and joined us in protesting police brutality in America.”
However, the family says King is lying and that he did nothing to help the two women gain their freedom. A statement said: “First and foremost, we make it clear that he is lying!”
“Our family has nothing to do with him, either directly or indirectly,” they said in a statement
The screenshots of the messages King posted show that he thought King had contacts in Palestine who could help.
He also said he had recorded all his conversations with Ben Raanan, although he did not say whether Ben was aware of this.
The Raanans have yet to respond to the thread, in which King posts alleged texts in which Ben calls him “a real hero.”
King has a history of stretching the truth, even with those he claims to help. He has in the past used donor funds to purchase an award-winning show dog, which he later returned because he had “a little too much energy.”
His political action committee, Grassroots Law, has made two contributions to California-based Potrero Performance Dogs in the past year, financial disclosures show. The money, totaling more than $40,000, were for ‘contractor services.’
Days after Grassroots made its second contribution in February, King welcomed Marz, a Potrero-bred thoroughbred, into his family. The dog was returned to the breeder last month.
King has been fighting fraud allegations for years but has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing in connection with Grassroots, which he founded to help get soft-on-crime officials elected.
King has also been accused of fraud on several occasions, including by the mother of Tamir Rice — a 12-year-old Ohio boy who was killed by Cleveland police — who claims he held unauthorized fundraisers in her son’s name.
King, who has also been accused of fraud on several occasions, said he posted a statement and screenshots from Natalie’s brother Ben showing he helped free the women.
In December 2021, the Real Justice PAC, which King co-founded, was ordered to pay the city of Philadelphia $30,000 after admitting to making omissions in its financial reports while working on District Attorney Larry Krasner’s campaign.
In 2019, King released an audit claiming he received a monthly salary of $4,166 from Real Justice PAC and “no compensation at all” from Grassroots predecessor Action PAC.
He claimed he was “literally the only person” on the PAC staff who did not receive a salary. He said: ‘I have not received any salary or any allowance for the whole year. I do it all for free.’
That same year, he was accused by former ally DeRay Mckesson of following a “uniform pattern” of fraud for years.
In an open letter, Mckesson alleged that King acted in a way that “endangers others, jeopardizes the collective work and jeopardizes a shared sense of integrity.”
King has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
King (pictured in September 2019) has been accused of fraud on several occasions in recent years, but has not been formally accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Grassroots. He has denied all allegations of wrongdoing
The Raanans left Gaza without any apparent physical injuries, got out of a car and were then surrounded by ICRC personnel wearing vests with the Red Cross on them. The pair then got into a Red Cross car and drove away.
They are now receiving medical treatment, the Illinois governor said, without providing details on their condition. The deal to free the pair was brokered by Qatar.
Her brother, Ben, joked that he was “annoyed” because she still looked “like a supermodel” despite her ordeal.
‘It goes well with her. She is doing very well,” said Uri Raanan, 71, who lives in the Chicago suburbs, adding that they have not discussed where she was being held or her conditions in captivity.
‘She didn’t tell me anything. But she told me that they were kind to her, and that she was doing very well.
“I’m going to hug her and kiss her, and it’s going to be the best day of my life.”
Knowing that Natalie might be able to celebrate her 18th birthday at home with family and friends next week feels “amazing.” The best news,” said Uri Raanan.
He said he believes Natalie and Judith are in transit to Tel Aviv to reunite with relatives, and both will be back in the US early next week.
“I spoke to my daughter earlier today – she sounds good and she looks good,” he told a news conference outside his home.
“I spoke to President Biden. I thanked him for his concern by releasing them. He was very nice.
“I talked to Governor Pritzker and he was nice.
‘And hopefully I’ll see them next week. Natalie’s birthday is next week, and we’re celebrating it here.’