U.S. Charges Russian RT Employees in Alleged Election Influence Scheme

[Social Media]

 

The U.S. government has taken decisive action against two employees of Russia's state-run media network, RT, accusing them of orchestrating a money-laundering scheme aimed at influencing the 2024 presidential election. According to charges filed by the Justice Department on Wednesday, these individuals allegedly funneled $10 million through shell companies and fake personas to an unnamed Tennessee company, which was hired to produce online content designed to deepen political divisions in the United States.

 

The Justice Department stated that the two employees, Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, were involved in a sophisticated operation to sway U.S. public opinion. The content, nearly 2,000 videos covering divisive topics like immigration and inflation, has reportedly been viewed 16 million times on YouTube since November. One video, according to the indictment, falsely attributed a terrorist attack in Moscow to Ukraine and the United States.

 

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the gravity of the situation, asserting, "We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia and Iran, as well as China or any other foreign malign actor to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy." His remarks came ahead of a meeting focused on election threats facing the U.S.

 

The crackdown also extends beyond these charges. The U.S. Treasury and State Departments announced additional measures targeting RT, including actions against the network's top editor, Margarita Simonovna Simonyan. Meanwhile, the FBI sought court approval to seize 32 internet domains believed to be part of Russia's broader influence campaign.

In response, RT dismissed the accusations with sarcasm, stating, "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the US elections." The network, which ceased operations in the U.S. following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, maintains its denial of any wrongdoing.

 

Russian officials have also rejected the allegations. Maria Butina, a deputy in Russia's State Duma, called the accusations "pure rubbish," adding that Moscow does not care who wins the upcoming U.S. election. "The only winner of the U.S. election is the U.S. private military industrial complex," she told Reuters.

 

The indictment, however, portrays a different picture, alleging that the Tennessee company involved in producing the videos failed to disclose its funding source and did not register with the Justice Department as required for agents of a foreign government. While the company itself was not charged, the case underscores ongoing concerns about foreign interference in U.S. elections.

 

The Justice Department has repeatedly warned that Russia remains a significant threat in U.S. elections, with intelligence assessments indicating that Moscow tried to assist Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. As the 2024 election approaches, U.S. officials are on high alert, aware of the increasingly sophisticated techniques employed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his proxies, including the use of bot farms and artificial intelligence to target specific voter groups.

 

These recent charges against RT employees highlight the continuing efforts by the U.S. government to protect its electoral process from foreign interference, ensuring that democracy is not undermined by external forces.

 

Credit: Reuters 2024-09-05

 

 

 

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[Chomper Higgot]

And in response ‘US Conservative broadcasters’ are rushing to claim they were unwitting victims of the misinformation they were broadcasting on Russia’s behalf.

 

I’m not sure claiming to be a useful (for profit) idiot is an admissible defense.

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/sep/04/trump-harris-biden-campaign-election-updates?filterKeyEvents=true#filter-toggle-mobile

[Tug]

They should charge the company and publicly expose the people who are complicit in this furtherance of that murderous criminal Putin.a step in the right direction but let’s make strides in the right direction!!

[impulse]

The Russkies are in good company.  Amazon's Alexa is doing the same...

 

When asked “why should I vote for Donald Trump,” Alexa was routinely replying, “I cannot provide responses that endorse any political party or its leader.”  However, when people asked the gizmo why they should vote for his opponent, Alexa spewed a variety of enthusiastic Harris endorsements. 

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6361450470112

 

[John Drake]

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And in response ‘US Conservative broadcasters’ are rushing to claim they were unwitting victims of the misinformation they were broadcasting on Russia’s behalf.

 

I’m not sure claiming to be a useful (for profit) idiot is an admissible defense.

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/sep/04/trump-harris-biden-campaign-election-updates?filterKeyEvents=true#filter-toggle-mobile

 

The person named in the DOJ charges is Lauren Chen who they say directed others such as Tim Pool into Russian directed election interference. But here is where it gets interesting. You should read Lauren Chen. I see her on my twitter feed all the time. As of late, far from engaging in pro Trump manipulation, she has been attacking Trump. She and others at her media company, Tenet, have been riling up the anti-abortion fanatics to go after Trump because of his relative flexibility on abortion. If this is Russian directed, it is aimed at hurting Trump, making it anti-Trump and pro-Harris. The question is why does Putin and Russia prefer Kamala Harris? And why do they want to hurt Trump?

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, John Drake said:

 

The person named in the DOJ charges is Lauren Chen who they say directed others such as Tim Pool into Russian directed election interference. But here is where it gets interesting. You should read Lauren Chen. I see her on my twitter feed all the time. As of late, far from engaging in pro Trump manipulation, she has been attacking Trump. She and others at her media company, Tenet, have been riling up the anti-abortion fanatics to go after Trump because of his relative flexibility on abortion. If this is Russian directed, it is aimed at hurting Trump, making it anti-Trump and pro-Harris. The question is why does Putin and Russia prefer Kamala Harris? And why do they want to hurt Trump?

Completely consistent with sowing conflict and confusion.

[NativeBob]

10 mil for few Youtube videos? 

You can have Dr.Jil do a lap dance on Tik Tok for 1% of that or Nikamundra do that Northern Indian dance for even less.

Please! it is indeed "pure rubbish" for brainwashed. 

 

brings memories of 2016 election and "manipulations with voting machines and FB pages/posts".

[bamnutsak]

I was wondering why so many of these right-wing "influencers" and "podcasters" were shilling for Putin and were pedaling the anti-Ukraine messaging.

 

Yes Tim Pool, I'm looking at you. Duped?

 

Right-wing influencers were duped to work for covert Russian influence operation, US says

 

NEW YORK (AP) — They have millions of followers online. They have been major players in right-wing political discourse since Donald Trump was president. And they worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Russian influence operation, U.S. prosecutors say.

 

An indictment filed Wednesday alleges a media company linked to six conservative influencers — including well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — was secretly funded by Russian state media employees to churn out English-language videos that were “often consistent” with the Kremlin’s “interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition” to Russian interests, like its war in Ukraine.

 

https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/ap-right-wing-influencers-were-duped-to-work-for-covert-russian-influence-operation-us-says/

 

 

Edited September 5 by bamnutsak

[johng]

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

"We will be relentlessly aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by Russia and Iran, as well as China or any other foreign malign actor to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy."

 

We will protect "our democracy"  by removing the democratic principle of free speech from you the "peons" !!!

 

Yet more evidence as if any was needed that these so called liberal democracies are fast approaching if not already surpassed the level of dictatorial control  they accuse the above countries of using.

[bamnutsak]

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Strange that the above OP report doesn't seem to include the following nugget cited in CNN's report on the same case:

 

"CNN has independently confirmed that “Company 1” is Tenet Media, which is a platform for independent content creators. It is self-described as a “network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues,” according to its website, which matches language contained in the newly unsealed indictment.

 

The goal of the operation, according to prosecutors, was to fuel pro-Russian narratives, in part, by pushing content and news articles favoring Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and others who the Kremlin deemed to be friendlier to its interests. [emphasis added]

...

Among the commentators listed on Tenet Media’s website are right-wing personalities Benny Johnson and Tim Pool. Both have millions of subscribers on YouTube and other social media platforms. Pool interviewed Trump on his podcast in May."

 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/04/politics/doj-alleges-russia-funded-company-linked-social-media-stars/index.html

 

In other words... support Vladimir Putin?... vote Trump!

 

 

Edited September 5 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[johng]

They have thrown everything including the kitchen sink at Trump

now they are back to the beginning   Russia Russia Russia 😋

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, johng said:

They have thrown everything including the kitchen sink at Trump

now they are back to the beginning   Russia Russia Russia 😋

 

Crims are gonna be crims!  Joined in criminality together.

 

[Danderman123]

53 minutes ago, johng said:

They have thrown everything including the kitchen sink at Trump

now they are back to the beginning   Russia Russia Russia 😋

So, you don't believe the Russians are controlling Tenet?

 

 

[Danderman123]

The question is how this will impact the distribution of talking points for Trumpers.

 

We may have a few quiet days here until new avenues of talking point distribution are found.

[mdr224]

5 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

The person named in the DOJ charges is Lauren Chen who they say directed others such as Tim Pool into Russian directed election interference. But here is where it gets interesting. You should read Lauren Chen. I see her on my twitter feed all the time. As of late, far from engaging in pro Trump manipulation, she has been attacking Trump. She and others at her media company, Tenet, have been riling up the anti-abortion fanatics to go after Trump because of his relative flexibility on abortion. If this is Russian directed, it is aimed at hurting Trump, making it anti-Trump and pro-Harris. The question is why does Putin and Russia prefer Kamala Harris? And why do they want to hurt Trump?

Americas enemies want Kamala to win, its no secret anymore

[Danderman123]

Just now, mdr224 said:

Americas enemies want Kamala to win, its no secret anymore

And yet, Russia is paying talking heads to support Trump.

 

So, you don't seem to have any basis in fact for your claim.

[mdr224]

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

And yet, Russia is paying talking heads to support Trump.

 

So, you don't seem to have any basis in fact for your claim.

Did you read the post i quoted? It would seem to contradict your claim

[Danderman123]

4 minutes ago, mdr224 said:

Did you read the post i quoted? It would seem to contradict your claim

The government is asserting that the Russians paid Tenet $10 million.

 

Do you disagree?

[johng]

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

So, you don't believe the Russians are controlling Tenet?

I don't have a clue or care much really who is controlling Tenet

I'd guess it's not the CIA  which can only be a good point. 

 

3 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

We may have a few quiet days here until new avenues of talking point distribution are found.

Why  2 employees silenced  but  the company itself where not even indicted.

 

BTW Alex Jones, Tucker Carlson,Kim Iversen,Jimmy Dore,Russel Brand,Tim Pool, Joe Rogan  etc etc  still going strong despite best efforts to silence them...there will be no shortage of "talking points"

[mdr224]

1 minute ago, Danderman123 said:

The government is asserting that the Russians paid Tenet $10 million.

 

Do you disagree?

Russia seems to be doing a lot better with democrats in charge. Them and China want more of it

[Yagoda]

Vlad announced today he supports Kamala and her infectious laugh.

 

He must have found out about her talents from Willie

[tgw]

let's hope the FBI doesn't drop the ball this time ...

[tgw]

38 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Vlad announced today he supports Kamala and her infectious laugh.

 

He must have found out about her talents from Willie

 

lol, the game he plays is so obvious, he must really be desperate

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Putin's saying one thing in public, because he knows he's considered a criminal pariah in the West, and thus anyone who he publicly claims to like might suffer.

 

Meanwhile, he and his government are spending money to accomplish their true end, which is to get Trump elected so that he'll drop the U.S. support of Ukraine and ease Russia's illegal takeover of its neighboring country.

 

As Sky News reported:

 

"With relations between Moscow and Washington as bad as they are, he [Putin] will know that any endorsement of a candidate might actually harm their chances come November, rather than improve them.

 

So that might well be what Mr Putin is trying to do here, hoping instead that Donald Trump takes power.

 

And why would he want that? Because in all likelihood, it would mean a cut to US aid to Ukraine, which in turn would significantly boost Russia's prospects on the battlefield."

 

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-latest-putin-war-live-updates-skynews-blog-12541713?postid=8231104#liveblog-body

 

Trump is Putin's U.S. lapdog, and Putin wants his lapdog back!

 

 

Trump sides with Putin over US intelligence

July 16, 2018

 

Helsinki, Finland CNN  —  US President Donald Trump, in a stunning rebuke of the US intelligence community, declined on Monday to endorse the US government’s assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, saying he doesn’t “see any reason why” Russia would be responsible.

 

Instead, Trump – standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin – touted Putin’s vigorous denial and pivoted to complaining about the Democratic National Committee’s server and missing emails from Hillary Clinton’s personal account.

 

“I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today,” Trump said during a joint news conference after he spent about two hours in a room alone with Putin, save for a pair of interpreters.

 

(more)

 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/16/politics/donald-trump-putin-helsinki-summit/index.html

 

 

Trump 'treasonous' after siding with Putin on election meddling

Donald Trump has been condemned as “treasonous” for siding with the Kremlin over his own government agencies after a stunning joint appearance with Vladimir Putin in which he seemingly accepted the Russian leader’s denial of election meddling.

 

At a joint press conference after one-on-one talks lasting more than two hours in the Finnish capital, the US president offered no criticism of Putin or the cyber-attacks that the US intelligence community says he coordinated to help Trump’s 2016 election campaign.

...

The comments set off a new firestorm in Washington and critics suggested it was a historically weak performance by a US president against a foreign adversary. It also fuelled the intrigue of why Trump’s refusal to speak ill of Putin remains one of the few constants of his White House tenure.

 

(more)

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/16/trump-finds-putin-denial-of-election-meddling-powerful

 

 

Edited September 5 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[pegman]

Yanks having their own playbook used against them is hilarious.  Child's play compared to this:            https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26079957

Edited September 5 by pegman

[bendejo]

A former DOJ prosecutor who worked on the Mueller investigation said that when Mueller was being questioned he said of this stuff "it is happening as we speak."  The real question is WHY THE HELL WAS NOTHING DONE ABOUT IT? 

 

DT keeps bringing up russiarussiarussia and he has made it conspicuous.  He's overplaying badly. 

 

Edited September 5 by bendejo

[MicroB]

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.627696/gov.uscourts.nysd.627696.2.0.pdf

 

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-disrupts-covert-russian-government-sponsored-foreign-malign-influence

 

https://fortune.com/2024/09/04/us-seizes-russian-propaganda-websites-2024-election-meddling/

 

From the DOJ Indictment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Matt Gaetz was on their radar ("Congressman 1")

 

 

 

[placeholder]

On 9/5/2024 at 1:51 PM, John Drake said:

 

The person named in the DOJ charges is Lauren Chen who they say directed others such as Tim Pool into Russian directed election interference. But here is where it gets interesting. You should read Lauren Chen. I see her on my twitter feed all the time. As of late, far from engaging in pro Trump manipulation, she has been attacking Trump. She and others at her media company, Tenet, have been riling up the anti-abortion fanatics to go after Trump because of his relative flexibility on abortion. If this is Russian directed, it is aimed at hurting Trump, making it anti-Trump and pro-Harris. The question is why does Putin and Russia prefer Kamala Harris? And why do they want to hurt Trump?

When did the Russians start sending money to Tenet and when did Lauren Chen turn against Trump?

[Dcheech]

Repost this over here. Rand Paul has always been a nutter. Great to see him so deep in excrement, it is coming out his ears now. Also no mention of this on the FOX media website. You can do this if you are NOT a news organization, and FOX is not a news site by legal judgement in the USA. It is a media entity 'that gives opinions about the news'. Basically a definition of a propaganda site. Amazing how many mouthbreathers do not understand that.