1וְדַע עוֹד, דְּאִסוּר קַבָּלַת רְכִילוּת הוּא אֲפִלּוּ אִם שָׁמַע (ז) מִשְּׁנַיִם וְיוֹתֵר, אוֹ שֶׁיָּצָא קוֹל בָּעִיר, שֶׁפְּלוֹנִי דִּבֵּר עָלָיו, אוֹ עָשָׂה לוֹ כָּךְ וְכָךְ, אֲפִלּוּ הָכֵי {אף על פי כן} אָסוּר לְקַבֵּל וּלְהַחְלִיט הַדָּבָר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת, אֲפִלּוּ אִם כַּוָּנַת הַמְסַפְּרִים לְפִי דִּבְרֵיהֶם הֵם לְטוֹבָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה עַל לְהַבָּא, שֶׁאֵין נַעֲשִׂין רְשָׁעִים עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּרָם, וְכַנַּל בְּסָעִיף ב'.
And know further that the issur of the acceptance of rechiluth obtains even if he heard from two or more, or it was rumored in the city, that Ploni spoke against him or did this and this to him. Still, it is forbidden to accept this and to confirm the thing in his heart as being true, even if the intent of the speakers, according to their words, was for his future good. For Jews are not rendered "evildoers" because of their [the speakers'] words (as mentioned above in section 2).
Hebrew: Chofetz Chaim (CC-BY-SA). English: Rabbi Shraga Silverstein (CC-BY). Via Sefaria. Learning for halacha? Please ask your Rav. All the library · Jer’s Torah Page