Janet Cooke is an American journalist best known for her work at the Washington Post. In 1980, she won the Pulitzer Prize for a story about a young girl named Jimmy's World, which detailed the struggles of a child living in poverty. However, the story was later revealed to be fabricated, leading to significant controversy. Following the scandal, Cooke resigned from the Washington Post and faced criticism for her actions. The incident raised important questions about journalistic integrity and the responsibility of reporters to verify their sources and stories before publication.