An image shared on Facebook claims top White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci is married to British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell’s sister.

Verdict: False

Fauci is married to Christine Grady. She and Ghislaine Maxwell are not related.

Fact Check:

This particular claim emerged online after Ghislaine Maxwell, the confidante and ex-girlfriend of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, got arrested in New Hampshire on charges that she allegedly helped him recruit women to sexually abuse. Epstein died of an apparent suicide in jail while awaiting trial for federal sex trafficking charges, according to The New York Times.

The post attempts to link Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to Ghislaine Maxwell. It alleges that Fauci’s wife is Ghislaine Maxwell’s sister, Christine.

“Dr. Fauci’s wife is sisters with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s sidekick that is in jail right now,” reads the accompanying text. “The cabal of corruption runs far and wide they all know one another.” (RELATED: Does This Photo Show Boris Johnson With Ghislaine Maxwell?)

That is, however, incorrect. Fauci is married to Christine Grady, a nurse bioethicist and the chief of the bioethics department at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, according to CNBC. Christine Grady grew up in New Jersey as one of five children and, according to NJ.com, is the daughter of John Grady, who served two terms as Livingston’s mayor.

Ghislaine Maxwell and her sister, Christine, are two of the late billionaire publishing magnate Robert Maxwell’s seven children, The Associated Press reported. Christine Maxwell is married to astrophysicist Roger Malina, according to multiple media reports.

DeAnna Lorraine, a former Republican congressional candidate, tweeted the same claim but later corrected herself.

Looks like the connection may not be accurate w Fauci’ wife/Maxwell. When ppl sent me this I researched it & it checked out at first, I’m sorry for getting excited about the connection & jumping gun. I’m on the move, will make sure I spend more time researching moving forward https://t.co/tfFRrFdFWF pic.twitter.com/YnlyY1Bid6

— DeAnna Lorraine ???????? (@DeAnna4Congress) July 7, 2020

“Looks like the connection may not be accurate w Fauci’ wife/Maxwell,” she tweeted. “When ppl sent me this I researched it & it checked out at first, I’m sorry for getting excited about the connection & jumping gun. I’m on the move, will make sure I spend more time researching moving forward.”

Fauci has become a popular target for misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic. The Daily Caller has previously debunked claims that he sat on Microsoft’s board of directors and that he said every American should be microchipped.