What Is The Illuminati? Yahoo Posts Alleged List Of Celebrities Who Rep The Occult Sign And More Conspiracy Theories [PHOTOS]

You’ve heard the rumors for years, and thanks to newly generated buzz, the gossip continues about celebrities and “the Illuminati.”

On Monday, Yahoo News posted a story with photographic “proof” of celebrities that have raised suspicions about their connections to the secretive group. From Jay Z and wife Beyonce, to Madonna, Lindsay Lohan and Rihanna, the story included photos of the stars holding the “secret Illuminati symbol,” or holding a triangle shape with their thumbs and forefingers in the air.

In the “expose,” Yahoo News, which boasts 83 million unique visitors a month, explained:

“There is a part of the world that believes certain famous faces yield more power than others. This power, they believe, stems from the backing of an ancient German secret society that quietly rules the world: the Illuminati (yes, the same group Tom Hanks sought in ‘Angels & Demons’). The mysterious sect is thought to be a front for the rise of the Antichrist — the Devil's all-seeing eye triangle is their universal sign — and is often accused of masterminding large-scale events (think President JFK's assassination) in an attempt to establish a New World Order, in which they can rule.”

The story has been making the rounds and rousing interest in fans, who have posted more than 3,000 comments on the original article. Yahoo said the following celebrities were part of the Illuminati: Lindsay Lohan, Jay Z, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Madonna, Kanye West, Ke$ha, Kim Kardashian and LeBron James.

While some news outlets like The Guardian laughed about the report, the buzz has also generated a curiosity in the Illuminati itself. The group is an alleged conspiratorial organization which reportedly mastermind events and control world affairs – from “finance and government to religion and culture” – to establish a “New World Order.” This “New World Order,” or “a one-world authoritarian government,” finds a way to link these alleged famous celebrities to the likes of the Pope and even Queen Elizabeth II.

But according to The Liberty Voice, none of the celebrities outed by Yahoo, or anyone for that matter, are actually part of the Illuminati—because it does not exist.

“No stars are members of the Illuminati because an organized and powerful group such as this cannot, does not, and will never exist. What does exist is normal, otherwise rational human beings with a propensity toward natural brain processes to find patterns and meanings in random events that are not actually connected. This phenomenon is called ‘confirmation bias,’ or, looking for evidence that confirms the theory one wants to be true.”

The newspaper continued:

“Today’s modern ‘Illuminati’ is nothing more than a racist, anti-Semitic, and sometimes paranoid version of an unreachable fantasy; a societal meme that has taken hold in a portion of the population so strongly that now even reputable companies like Yahoo are feeding into the hysteria.”

The Liberty Voice rationalized the hand symbol frequently used by celebrities could, instead, indicate a connection or in support of Jay Z, who used the Illuminati symbol to promote his record company, Roc A Fella Records.

Of course, this isn’t the first time Illuminati rumors have swirled in tinsel town, particularly with Jay Z and Beyonce. When their daughter, Blue Ivy, was born in January 2012, fans immediately found a “connection” of her name to the Illuminati. According to theories on Twitter, Blue Ivy is a reworking of the name Eulb Yvi, which many conspiracy theorists allege is the name of Satan's daughter. Others went as far to add the numbers which the letters fall on in the alphabet to somehow get 666, meaning the Illuminati.

The rumors not only swirled about the power couple’s offspring, but the matriarch herself. Many believed that Beyonce flashed the Illuminati triangle during her 2013 Super Bowl halftime show with Destiny’s Child, while others believed it was merely a way to support her rapper husband’s record label.

Most recently, the Internet put forth a theory that the 2013 Kardashian Christmas Card, a yearly tradition from the Kardashian-Jenner family, was a nod to the Illuminati, thanks to the pyramid image in the background.

However, no celebrity or public figure has ever addressed rumors of the Illuminati or their connection—or lack thereof—to the secret group.