What Did Press Gazette Report?
Two investigations by Press Gazette’s Rob Waugh. The first, on August 12, 2026, said Forbes LA and Forbes Liechtenstein “post dozens of stories per day posted by contributors” who are “extremely difficult to trace online,” that AI detector Pangram rated some of the copy as 100% AI-generated and that a byline photo was AI-generated according to Identifai (Press Gazette, Aug. 12). It reported that Baden Bower “appears to be connected to the sites” and that a representative “appeared to offer Press Gazette guaranteed placement on the fake site Forbes LA in exchange for a fee.” Forbes confirmed both sites were fake.
The second, on October 8, reported that Press Gazette had found more imitation editions, Forbes Bahrain, Forbes Scotland, Forbes 40 Under 40, Forbes EU and Forbes Denmark, “packed with seemingly PR-generated promotional content,” with Bahrain and Scotland hosting several articles promoting Baden Bower (Press Gazette, Oct. 8). Forbes Zone and Forbes Baltics had been retired. The article carries an update note dated September 10 despite its October 8 publication date; we cite October 8, the date in its metadata.
Number of sites named, by report
Source: Press Gazette (Rob Waugh), “Fake Forbes websites and the PR agency offering guaranteed coverage – at a price,” August 12, 2026; Press Gazette (Rob Waugh), “PR agency linked to fake Forbes websites posts articles to help US visa applications,” October 8, 2026. Read October 18, 2026.
Counts are of sites Press Gazette names; they are not a census of imitation sites. Forbes’s statement in each report refers to the sites in that report. The chart says nothing about who operates any site; Baden Bower disputes that it creates or operates them. We did not visit the sites.
The chart shows that the number of sites Press Gazette has tied to the Forbes name grew from two to nine across its two reports; it does not show who runs them.
What Do the Former Employees Allege?
Press Gazette says four former Baden Bower employees spoke anonymously. One said the company produced between 200 and 600 articles a month for people from India, Afghanistan and the Middle East “aiming to help them secure EB1 skilled worker visas.” Another described writers using large language models and said editors’ job was partly “to edit out the AI tones” from what was generated. Employees also said US immigration authorities began to put red flags on certain publications because of the volume of articles. Press Gazette says it has seen sales documents and obtained a recording of a sales call, and that the sales materials promise articles with “no sponsorship or disclaimers.” We have not seen those documents or heard the recording, and none of these claims has been tested in any forum we know of. Press Gazette’s reports also quote prices from calls and documents; the agency does not publish them, so we do not repeat them here. For published rate ranges, see what press placements cost.
What Does Baden Bower Say?
It disputes the core allegations. CEO AJ Ignacio told Press Gazette: “Baden Bower is an intermediary between clients and publishers. We work with approximately 1,985 publications globally. We do not own or control those publications” and “A publication being available through our network does not mean Baden Bower owns, operates or created it.” He invited Press Gazette to identify any publication operating without a licence and said the company would investigate it with the publisher. On visas, he said the company “does not sell visas, immigration approvals or guaranteed immigration outcomes” and that “It would therefore be inaccurate to characterise Baden Bower as ‘selling links for visas’” (Press Gazette, Oct. 8).
The company also said: “Baden Bower has no visa department,” and “In most cases, we do not know whether publicity purchased by a client will later be used in a visa application.” On articles about itself on the imitation sites, it said that “we use our own PR network to promote our own business” and that such coverage “does not establish ownership, control or involvement in the operation or licensing of those publications.” On the August report, a representative named Camilo wrote that he had “no relationship with Forbes LA or Forbes Liechtenstein” and had “never placed a client there,” and on labeling: “If a publisher mislabels something, that’s on the publisher” (Press Gazette, Aug. 12). The October 7 update adds that Baden Bower says its representative meant Forbes.com, not Forbes LA, and that it does not guarantee placement. We report all of these as the company’s statements, alongside the allegations, and draw no conclusion about who operates any site.
Why Does a Fake Masthead Matter for Visa Evidence?
Because the evidence rules turn on what a publication is, not what it is called. The EB-1 regulation asks for “Published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media,” with “the title, date, and author of the material” (8 CFR 204.5(h)(3)(iii)). USCIS’s Policy Manual says marketing materials “are not generally considered to be published material about the person,” including “seemingly objective content about the person in major print publications that the person or the person’s employer paid for” (USCIS Policy Manual). A paid article on a site that is not the publication it imitates fails twice: it is paid, and the outlet is not the “major media” its name suggests. This is not legal or immigration advice; our guides on whether sponsored articles count as visa evidence, sponsored articles and EB-1A and what counts as EB-1A media evidence cover the questions to put to a lawyer.
What Do the Labeling Rules Say?
A paid article is advertising. The FTC’s guide to native advertising says: “An advertisement or promotional message shouldn’t suggest or imply to consumers that it’s anything other than an ad,” and “Disclosures that are necessary to avoid misleading consumers must be presented clearly and prominently” (FTC). Sales materials that, as Press Gazette reports, promise “no sponsorship or disclaimers” describe the opposite, whoever offers them. The Public Relations and Communications Association’s chief executive, Sarah Waddington, told Press Gazette in August: “This unethical practice violates the core public relations standards of transparency, honesty and earned credibility” (Press Gazette, Aug. 12). See what the FTC requires for paid placement and how paid content must be labelled. This is not legal advice.
How Can a Buyer Check a Placement?
These are our recommendations, not rules from any source. First, check the domain against the publisher’s own site: Forbes told Press Gazette the sites in its reports are not Forbes websites, so confirm any international edition or licensee on the publisher’s own pages before paying. Second, put the publication, the exact domain and the label the piece will carry in the contract, with a refund in writing if any is wrong. Third, search the byline: Press Gazette found contributors with no traceable history and AI-generated photos; see whether editors now verify who wrote your op-ed and what OpenAI’s “Bogus Bylines” report shows. Fourth, know what you are buying in the real outlet: contributor and paid programs are not newsroom coverage; see Forbes Councils vs earned Forbes coverage and whether a press release on USA Today’s site is USA Today coverage. Fifth, do not display a masthead logo for a placement you cannot verify; see using a publication logo as “As Seen In”.
What This Means for Anyone Buying a Placement
A paid article is advertising and should be labeled as such. No agency can honestly promise editorial coverage in a named outlet, and payment buys neither rankings, AI citations nor permanence. The cheapest-looking route to a famous masthead is the one most worth checking, because the risk of a placement on an imitation site falls on the buyer whose name is in the article.
Methodology and Limitations
Four limits apply. First, almost everything about the agency comes from Press Gazette’s reporting, which relies in part on anonymous former employees, documents and a recording we have not seen. Second, Baden Bower disputes the core allegations, and we reproduce its statements as given. Third, we did not visit the sites, contact the agency or test any placement. Fourth, we do not repeat prices that the agency does not publish, and nothing here is legal or immigration advice.
Conclusion
Forbes says the sites are not its own; the agency says it neither created nor runs them. A buyer does not need to settle that dispute to protect itself: confirming the domain, the publisher and the label in writing before paying answers the only question that matters to the buyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Forbes LA and Forbes Liechtenstein real Forbes sites?
No. Press Gazette reported on August 12, 2026 that Forbes confirmed both are fake sites and is taking action against them.
Does Baden Bower admit running fake Forbes sites?
No. Its CEO AJ Ignacio told Press Gazette the company strongly disputes any suggestion that it creates or operates fake Forbes sites, and describes it as an intermediary that does not own or control publications.
What do the former employees allege?
Press Gazette cites four anonymous former employees who say some clients bought placements to support US EB-1 visa applications. Baden Bower says it has no visa department and does not sell immigration outcomes.
Does a paid article count as EB-1 visa evidence?
USCIS guidance says marketing materials, including seemingly objective content the person or employer paid for, are not generally considered published material about the person. This is not legal advice.
Must a paid article be labeled?
Generally, yes. The FTC says an ad should not suggest it is anything other than an ad, and necessary disclosures must be clear and prominent. This is not legal advice.
How can I check that a publication edition is real?
Our recommendation: confirm the edition on the publisher's own site, name the exact domain and label in the contract, and search the byline for a real history.
Sources
This guide is built from two Press Gazette investigations (one updated October 7 and 8), the USCIS Policy Manual, the EB-1 regulation and the FTC's native advertising guide, all read on October 18, 2026. Buyer checks are our recommendations. We did not see the sales documents or recording, visit the sites or contact the agency.
- trade press Press Gazette (Rob Waugh), PR agency linked to fake Forbes websites posts articles to help US visa applications, October 8, 2026. Supports the further sites named, former-employee allegations, Forbes statement and Baden Bower's statements. Read October 18, 2026 (archived copy of October 13).
- trade press Press Gazette (Rob Waugh), Fake Forbes websites and the PR agency offering guaranteed coverage – at a price, August 12, 2026, updated October 7 and 8. Supports the Forbes LA and Liechtenstein findings, Forbes confirmation, Camilo quotes, PRCA quote and the update. Read October 18, 2026.
- official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part F, Chapter 2. Supports the treatment of paid marketing material. Read October 18, 2026.
- official Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3)(iii). Supports the published-material criterion wording. Read October 18, 2026.
- regulator Federal Trade Commission, Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses. Supports the quoted disclosure guidance. Read October 18, 2026.