Russian influence scheme deceived right-wing content creators
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Attorney General Merrick Garland delivers opening remarks at a meeting of the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force in Washington D.C., United States on September 4, 2024. Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images
A Russian influence operation used unwitting, prominent right-wing influencers to spread propaganda ahead of the 2024 election, the Justice Department alleged Wednesday.
Why it matters: The influencer scheme is yet another chapter in Russia's long running effort to infiltrate the opinions of American audiences via social media and online manipulation.
- The indictment unveiled Wednesday alleges that RT, a Russian state media network, allegedly funneled nearly $10 million through foreign shell entities to direct and fund a Tennessee-based online content creation company to produce videos "often consistent with the Government of Russia's interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions."
State of play: Though the indictment released Wednesday does not name the company, details prosecutors shared align exactly with that the website of Tenet Media, an online media company linked to six right-wing influencers, including Benny Johnson, Tim Pool and Dave Rubin.
- Tenet Media describes itself as a "network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues," boasting, "fearless voices live here."
- Several of the commentators listed as Tenet talent shared statements following the indictment's release, contending they were not directed to discuss specific topics and were unaware of any wrongdoing.
Zoom in: The indictment alleges that two RT employees, who are Russian nationals charged with conspiracy to violate FARA and conspiracy to commit money laundering, deceived influencers alongside two unnamed founders in hiding the true source of the company's funding.
- An unnamed "Commentator-1" produced approximately 130 videos published on Tenet's platforms.
- Commentator-1 and Commentator-2, court documents allege, have over 2.4 million and 1.3 million YouTube subscribers, respectively. The influencers collectively have some 7 million followers on X.
- They received substantial compensation for their content, with the first commentator's contract including a monthly fee of $400,000 — plus a $100,000 signing bonus and an additional performance bonus — and the second's charging a fee of $100,000 per video.
The intrigue: The influencers on Tenet's rosters have millions of followers across social platforms, and the company's channel has hosted several prominent guests, like RNC co-chair Lara Trump, daughter in law of former President Trump, and former GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy.
- Prosecutors say the nearly 2,000 videos shared to the unnamed company's YouTube channel have garnered more than 16 million views.
- Elon Musk has interacted with Tenet's content online, several X users have noted.
What they're saying: Johnson shared a message to X Wednesday evening, saying a "media startup" pitched his company to "provide content as an independent contractor" a year ago, and his lawyers "negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated."
- He continued: "We are disturbed by the allegations in today's indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme."
Pool echoed that sentiment in a statement shared to X, writing, "Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims."
- "The Culture War Podcast was licensed by Tenet Media, it existed well before any license agreement with Tenet and it will continue to exist after any such agreement expires," he said, adding, "Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show."
- Dave Rubin said in a post that he knew nothing of the "fraudulent activity" alleged in the indictment, adding the DOJ had not contacted him.
- "These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme," Rubin said.
The company was registered in Nashville, Tennessee, and Liam Donovan and Lauren Tam have both been listed as registered agents, according to state business records.
- Tam, NBC reports, is known publicly as Lauren Chen (the wife of Donovan) — a Canadian Turning Point USA contributor and video creator for The Blaze who has produced content for RT.
- Neither Donovan nor Tam were named in the indictment. Axios has reached out to Chen for comment.
- In a statement shared to X, commentator Tayler Hansen wrote, "Anyone that knows Lauren & Liam Chen know that they love America."
Go deeper: U.S. expands sanctions against Russia
