I assume that by now everyone knows a reporter for German magazine "Der Spiegel" has been proven to be a fraud. This particular article outlines the reasons why "Der Spiegel" was taken in despite it having a reputation for pride[ing] itself on having the best fact-checking department in the business.

The answers range from the reporters reputation (lots of awards), to such things as the remarkable amount of details he provided (His pieces are full of minute detail so specific, so precise, as to appear necessarily authentic). But the real culprit in the affair, and this afflicts American publications also, is the unarticulated expectations of editors as they send off their reporters, and their anticipation the reported piece that comes back will confirm what they already know to be true.

The reporter, Claas Relotius, was an anti-American, anti-Trump propagandist. Hence whatever he submitted wasn't subject to serious review. Editors just knew it had to be correct, just as American editors just know an anti-Trump piece must be correct.

Hence, fake news.

https://www.politico.eu/article/der-spie...st-class-faker/