The prodigious Twitter followings of some of sports’ more prominent personalities?

They’re “fake” news.

Sports personalities including former ESPN reporter Britt McHenry and future NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis have had their social-media followings boosted by a company that provides fake followers in exchange for cash, according to a New York Times investigation.

It is unknown whether McHenry, Lewis and several other figures themselves paid to improve their Twitter popularity or if someone else purchased the following for them. Either way, their followings have been enhanced by a shadowy company in Devumi, which creates fake accounts that give the appearance that a person’s following is grander than it seems. Having many Twitter followers can lend credibility and marketability to a person, especially those in media who want to show employers that a significant audience will follow them. McHenry worked for ESPN until being a victim of April’s layoffs, for which she attributed to herself being a conservative. Lewis is currently a Fox Sports analyst.

Also named in the sham buys were former Cowboys wide receiver and current ESPN analyst Joey Galloway, Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty, MLB free agent Brandon Phillips, Ohio State quarterback Tate Martell, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson and former rowing champion James Cracknell.

How many followers were purchased, and at what cost, are unknown. The site advertises that “5,000-plus” fake accounts can be had for $49.

McHenry, who is trying to transition into politics and has made many Fox News appearances, is nearing half a million followers, while Lewis has 718,000. McHenry has bragged that since leaving ESPN and wearing her conservatism on her sleeve, her follower count has skyrocketed.

The Times’ investigation found that Devumi has more than 200,000 customers, and in most cases, they bought their own followers. In some instances, agents, PR companies, family members or someone near the personality made the buys.

Neither McHenry nor Lewis has commented about the purchases since the story was published Saturday.