stylized mirror image of James O'Keefe
Melissa Joskow / Media Matters

Research/Study Research/Study

James O’Keefe is using dating apps to find targets for undercover videos and recruiting followers to sell it as “journalism”

O’Keefe has offered to pay $5,000 for usable footage obtained with the same tactic

Written by Audrey McCabe

Research contributions from Jack Winstanley

Published

James O’Keefe, the ousted founder of Project Veritas who is now trying to build up O’Keefe Media Group as a new outlet for his right-wing sting operations, has been targeting Democratic officials and high-level corporate employees through dating apps, luring them to meet up, and secretly recording them speaking about their jobs. O’Keefe is also trying to recruit followers to employ the same tactics, promoting a $20 webinar and claiming that he will pay $5,000 for usable footage from fake dates with targets.

Jump to section...

  • O’Keefe is building a new media company to release undercover footage obtained from fake dates, including targets lured on dating apps

    • After being ousted from Project Veritas last year, O’Keefe is trying to build up O’Keefe Media Group through sting operations targeting political opponents and videotaping them on fake dates. O’Keefe has released videos of at least four sting operations that were based on footage obtained under the cover of dates. [NPR, 2/21/23; Twitter/X, 1/25/23; YouTube, 6/22/23, 1/24/24, 1/31/24]
    • O’Keefe has introduced a “D.C. Swamp Exposed” series, releasing two videos on January 24 and 31 that purport to expose political corruption. Both videos — the first with a Capitol Hill intern and the second with a White House cybersecurity official — were captured on fake dates, at least one of which was set up using Tinder. [YouTube, 1/24/24, 1/31/24]
    • O’Keefe claimed, “Tinder has just gotten rid of my profile, ladies and gentlemen. Tinder has shut down James O’Keefe’s dating profile.” He then said, “I guess I’m going to use Grindr from now on.” [Twitter/X, 1/31/24] 
    • O’Keefe claimed that O’Keefe Media Group plans to release a new investigation every Wednesday. He also said he intends to expand the program by recruiting followers to set up their own stings. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/1/24; Twitter/X, 10/30/23]

  • O’Keefe has been recruiting followers to pay for his “American Swiper” program, encouraging them to use dating apps for sting operations

    • In addition to his $497 “Citizen Journalism MasterClass,” O’Keefe created an “American Swiper” workshop in November for people to learn how to spot progressives and Democratic government officials on dating apps. The workshop was accompanied by a number of promotional social media posts showcasing two earlier stings that allegedly used this tactic. [O’Keefe Media Group, accessed 2/2/24; Twitter/X, 10/30/23, 10/31/23, 11/29/23]
    • O’Keefe is charging $19.95 for access to the workshop and selling “covert camera” equipment. The description for the event reads, “As the landscape of information gathering evolves, so do the tools of the trade. Swipe right into the heart of investigative reporting with this one-of-a-kind training session, crafted to equip you with the skills to covertly extract information using popular social platforms. Without the constraints of a live event, you can now delve into the art of undercover investigations at your own pace, learning how to leverage dating apps like Tinder and Bumble to unearth compelling stories.” [O’Keefe Media Group, accessed 2/2/24] 
    • O’Keefe has also stated that he would pay $5,000 for usable footage of dates with targets that end up getting published. He told Patriot.TV host Kristi Leigh, “I’d like to have you as an American Swiper. … We’ll pay you 5,000 bucks to go do one of these stories if we publish it.” [Twitter/X, 1/31/24]

  • O’Keefe has openly admitted to using fake dates for sting operations and said he uses dating apps to find his targets

    • O’Keefe has promoted the American Swipers program with footage of him confronting a Pfizer employee at the end of a fake date with a member of Project Veritas. The target confirmed that they thought they were on a date, admitting, “I was trying to impress a person on a date by lying.” The video was taken while O’Keefe was still at Project Veritas, but he has since used it to promote his new outlet. [YouTube, 1/26/23; Twitter/X, 10/30/23]
    • O’Keefe seemingly had a woman target a BlackRock recruiter and later used the footage in a promotion for American Swipers, saying “some of our biggest and most impactful, hard-hitting journalism has come from undercover reporters meeting subjects this way.” The target appears to go on multiple dates with the “undercover reporter” before her identity is revealed. [Twitter/X, 6/20/23, 10/30/23]
    • O’Keefe went on a fake date with a Capitol Hill intern as the first installment of his “D.C. Swamp Exposed” series, and said in a Twitter/X Space, “I’ve never actually done one of these so-called guy-to-guy date meeting recordings, but I did it myself … because I want to inspire you guys to go do it yourselves.” O’Keefe wrote in a post about the date, “Sign up to be an undercover journalist with The American Swiper Program at this link.” [Twitter/X, 1/24/24, 1/24/24]
    • For the second part of his “D.C. Swamp Exposed” video series, O’Keefe admitted to creating a Tinder profile, telling right-wing influencer and “Pizzagate” conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec: “The most extraordinary thing about the tape with the executive office of the White House guy for the executive office is that I actually used my actual name, James, on Tinder.” He also posted screenshots of the target’s Tinder profile. [Twitter/X, 1/31/24, 1/31/24]

  • Right-wing figures are praising O’Keefe’s deceptive tactics and promoting his videos on social media

    • Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon celebrated O’Keefe’s fake date with the White House cybersecurity official, saying, “Your investigative techniques are amazing.” He also said, “This is the most important tape, in my mind, that you’ve ever done.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/1/24]
    • Infowars’ Alex Jones praised O’Keefe, saying that he “needs to get an Academy Award for best actor.” Jones continued, “He dresses up as a blonde-haired, gay, trendy dude and is able to get the head White House liaison who’s over all the intelligence agencies, and cybersecurity, and the Pentagon, that gives policy advice to the president, to openly brag and say, ‘Biden has dementia, he’s an idiot, he’s our puppet.’” [Twitter/X, 1/31/24]
    • The Babylon Bee’s Ashley St. Clair celebrated O’Keefe’s January 31 video on X, posting, “Pro tip: If you are a gay man who works for the White House + your date just cant hear enough about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, you are being James O’Keefe’d.” She went on to say, “It always amazes me how willing these suckers are to talk. You work for the WHITE HOUSE Cyber team & are just spilling it all?! A cheap vault too… just dinner and drinks!” [Twitter/X, 1/31/24]
    • Conspiracy theorist Lara Logan also shared the video and posted, “James O’Keefe does it again. Unbelievable.” [Twitter/X, 2/1/24]
    • Right-wing influencers the Hodgetwins shared O’Keefe’s January 31 video and celebrated his sting against a White House official. [Twitter/X, 1/31/24]

    Tweet from Hodge Twins. Text: James O'Keefe undercover in glasses. Dude is the [goat emoji]

    • The Daily Wire’s Brent Scher posted, “The James O’Keefe gay date costume is the funniest thing to happen this year.” [Twitter/X, 1/31/24]