Candace Owens, the 36-year-old American right-wing commentator, has built a media empire by peddling conspiracy theories she calls "mind yoga." Her podcast and social media presence have attracted millions of followers, but her latest claims have drawn legal action and criticism from former allies.
Owens has faced a defamation lawsuit from French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte after repeatedly alleging that Brigitte was born male. The Macrons accuse her of a "campaign of global humiliation." In January, a Paris court convicted ten people of cyberbullying for similar claims, handing down penalties including suspended prison sentences.
Owens has also made bizarre allegations that the Macrons attempted to orchestrate her assassination, which French authorities dismissed as fake news. More recently, she stirred conspiracies around the death of her former boss, Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, suggesting an "inside job." Kirk's producer, Blake Neff, condemned Owens for attacking Kirk's friends and whipping up harassment.
Owens's rise began in Stamford, Connecticut, where she experienced racist bullying at school and received death threats from white classmates. Her family sued the school board and received a $37,500 settlement. After dropping out of university, she interned at American Vogue and worked in private equity before co-founding a marketing agency.
