Conservative influencer Nick Sortor has drawn widespread online scrutiny after amplifying a false claim that Texas state Representative James Talarico had been admitted to a psychiatric facility in Ohio. As the online rumor unraveled, social media users began circulating older court records and allegations concerning Sortor himself.
The controversy began when Sortor shared a post on the platform X claiming that Ohio’s Lindner Center of Hope had confirmed Talarico had recently been discharged from the facility. The post, which relied on an edited phone recording shared by another influencer, quickly accumulated millions of views before the mental health center publicly denied the assertion.
The Lindner Center issued a statement clarifying that Representative James Talarico had never received treatment at the facility. Talarico also addressed the rumor directly, stating that he had never even visited Ohio. Following the debunking of the claim, several users on X shared screenshots from the Kentucky Department of Corrections offender database, alleging that Sortor had an active warrant related to a probation violation.
Additional viral posts, including one by former West Virginia delegate Derrick Evans, alleged that Sortor had previously faced burglary charges, pleaded guilty to misdemeanors, failed to complete probation, and had two driving under the influence cases alongside an active warrant in Kentucky. Another post by Christopher Hale alleged convictions involving driving while intoxicated, harassment, and stalking.
A circulating screenshot purported to show a Kentucky Department of Corrections entry for an individual named Nicholas John Sortor, listing him as having absconded on misdemeanor probation in Fayette County. Meanwhile, public records indicated that Sortor was arrested for a DUI in Wisconsin in 2017, though that case was reportedly later dismissed. Verification of whether the Kentucky database entry definitively refers to the influencer has not been independently established.
The renewed attention on Sortor directly stems from his role in spreading the unverified claims about Talarico. Reports indicated the rumor originated from recordings posted by influencer Rhein Amacher, who pretended to be a relative of Talarico when calling the Lindner Center. Although edited clips suggested a staff member confirmed the hospitalization, the full recording demonstrated that the employee repeatedly stated no patient by that name existed.
Public records and public appearances also contradicted the timeline promoted by social media influencers. Talarico attended Austin City Limits and appeared at a concert in Dallas during the exact timeframe he was falsely alleged to have been hospitalized in Ohio. Talarico later explained that he had simply been recovering from the flu.