In June 2026, people on social media spread a rumor of an unusual arrest at an unnamed museum. For example, an Instagram account posted (archived) what appeared to be a screenshot from "Metro 7 News" featuring a mugshot of "Ethan Caldwell" and the text, "MAN ARRESTED AFTER POSING AS A MUSEUM TOUR GUIDE AND INVENTING ENTIRE FAKE HISTORIES FOR EVERY PAINTING."
The same image appeared in posts (archived) on Facebook (archived). The claim's text also spread on Threads (archived) and elsewhere on Instagram (archived). Snopes readers sent emails and searched the site wondering if the rumor was true.
The rumor originated from the Dude Humor Report Instagram account, which describes its content as satirical and fictional. Therefore, we've rated this claim as labeled satire.
The Dude Humor Report's watermark is visible in the Instagram post embedded above, as well as in the two linked Facebook posts. The original post (archived) from The Dude Humor Report included the hashtags "#funny," "#comedy," "#satire" and "#FORENTERTAINMENTONLY."
Snopes has fact-checked several rumors that began as Dude Humor Report posts. The Instagram account's description says it posts "satire & parody stories that are exaggerated" and "fictional." It says that its content is made "for entertainment purposes only."
The account also links to a Dude Humor Report website. That website's about page says every story it publishes is fictional. "Names, characters, places, and events are fictional," it says. The Dude Humor Report's content includes "Florida Man arrests that didn't happen, mugshots of people who don't exist, weird crime stories built from scratch."
There is other evidence, or lack thereof, indicating that the rumor is fabricated.
For example, the image has the logo of a "Metro 7 News" that matches no local news station in the United States. There is a channel 7 news station in the Boston area, which is where the Dude Humor Report post said the incident took place, but its logo is red instead of blue.
Google searches for "ethan caldwell museum" and "man arrested for posing as a museum tour guide" did not reveal any credible evidence supporting that such an event actually happened.
Since the effectiveness of satire is subjective, we use "originated as satire" or "labeled satire" ratings based on creators' description of their work. It's your call on whether you agree.