As California-based Cole Tomas Allen was arrested for allegedly discharging a firearm during the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington on Saturday, social media users began circulating claims about his personal life.
Several posts alleged that Allen is married to an Indian woman named "Priyanka Rao," accompanied by a purported photograph of the couple and an image of an Indian passport purportedly belonging to her.
Screengrab from X post by @ThokaReturnsEvidence
No credible reports of such a relationship
Keyword searches for "Cole Tomas Allen" and "Priyanka Rao" did not yield any reliable news reports confirming that the accused is married to an Indian national. Coverage by international media outlets on the alleged incident also made no mention of any such relationship.
A reverse image search of the viral photograph did not return any credible or original source publishing the same image, raising doubts about its authenticity.
AI-detection tools flagged the image
The alleged photograph of Allen with "Priyanka Rao" showed signs of artificial generation, including overly smooth textures.
We checked the image on multiple AI-detection tools which found:
- Hive Moderation indicated a 99.9% likelihood of the image being AI-generated
- Sightengine flagged it as likely AI-generated.
- Undetectable AI also classified it as AI-created.
Screengrabs from Hive Moderation, Sightengine and Undetectable AIPassport image shows clear inconsistencies
The purported Indian passport attributed to "Priyanka Rao" contained multiple discrepancies:
- Spelling errors in Hindi text.
- Nationality listed incorrectly as "Cole Thomas Allen".
- Father/legal guardian name also listed as "Cole Thomas Allen".
- Spouse name incorrectly repeated as "Priyanka Rao".
- Presence of dual address column.
Viral image These inconsistencies strongly indicate fabrication.
AI watermark indicators detected
We ran past the image on Hive Moderation and Undetectable AI, both of which concluded a high likelihood of the alleged passport photo being AI generated.
Screengrabs from Hive Moderation and Undetectable AIAdditionally, Google Gemini found a SynthID watermark in the photo, which indicates that most or all of it was edited or generated using Google AI.
Conclusion
The claim that White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting accused Cole Tomas Allen is married to an Indian woman named "Priyanka Rao" is unsubstantiated. The images being circulated as proof, including a couple's photograph and a passport, are AI-generated and contain multiple inconsistencies. There is no credible evidence supporting the claim.
FAQs
Q1. Is there any proof that Cole Tomas Allen is married to Priyanka Rao?
No, there are no credible reports or official records confirming such a relationship.
Q2. Are the viral images authentic?
No, multiple AI detection tools found the images to be AI-generated.
Q3. What is wrong with the passport image being shared?
It contains spelling errors, incorrect details, and structural inconsistencies that indicate it is fake.
Q4. Did any media outlet report about an Indian wife of the accused?
No reputable international media outlet has reported any such detail.
Sources
Hive Moderation Website
Sightengine Website
Undetectable AI Website
Google Gemini Website