Monica Kirsten Petersen (born July 2, 1984 - died November 13, 2016) was an Assistant Director at the Human Trafficking Center who died in Haiti. ^[1]

Petersen's death sparked conspiracy theories involving allegations that the Clinton Foundation and its projects in Haiti were used in a child sex trafficking ring.

Suggestions that Petersen was investigating a pedophile ring that involved the Clintons and some of their inner circle surfaced after her death and interest developed along with Pizzagate.

Conspiracy theories about Petersen's death added to existing tropes alleging the Cluntons have been involved in the deaths of various political foes and people who posed a threat to their political dynasty unckuding Vince Foster and an intern at the Clinton campaign.

Petersen was a recent graduate of the Korbel School of International Studies. ^[1]She was a Research Fellow and an Assistant Director at the Human Trafficking Center and had moved to Haiti to teach and start an NGO. ^[1]

Snopes concluded the conspiracy theories and allegations are unproven.

^[1]

According to Claude d’Estree, the executive director of the Human Trafficking Center at the University of Denver, Petersen's death was a suicide on November 23, 2016 in Haiti buthe circumstances are unclear.

^[2]He had employed Petersen until June 2016 as a researcher and as his assistant.

She then moved to Haiti and was teaching at @Union School Haiti, a private pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school.

^[2]d'Estree stated that she had been working to establish a non-governmental organization in Haiti.

^[2]

Petersen was an advocate of sex workers and was a critic of Siddharth Kara's scholarship on the subject. She was working on a manuscript covering her views. ^[2]

Petersen was friends and acquaintances with a variety of sex workers including Domina Elle, a Denver-based dominatrix.

^[2]