Tenet Media, launched last year, bills itself as a platform for “heterodox opinions.”
New Delhi:
The US Justice Department has alleged that several prominent right-wing social media influencers were unwittingly part of a Russian operation to influence the 2024 US presidential election, CNN reported. The influencers, who collectively reach millions of Americans, were allegedly used as “mouthpieces” for Russian propaganda without being aware of the foreign influence behind their financial support.
According to the report, court documents unsealed this week revealed that Russian state media funneled nearly $10 million through a Tennessee-based online media company, identified by CNN as Tenet Media. The company employed prominent right-wing commentators including Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen and Dave Rubin. While these individuals were not directly accused of wrongdoing, the indictment shed light on how they may have unwittingly advanced Russian interests.
Two Russian state media employees have been charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and money laundering. The Justice Department says Russia’s goal was to promote rhetoric that aligned with Kremlin goals, such as fostering domestic political division, weakening U.S. support for Ukraine and supporting conservative figures like Donald Trump.
These individuals, unaware of their role in Russian operations, were described, in Cold War terms, as “useful idiots.”
Tenet Media
Launched last year, Tenet Media bills itself as a platform for “heterodox viewpoints” on Western political and cultural issues. It was founded in 2022 by conservative Canadian YouTuber Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan. The company has not responded to the allegations.
Its members include several former mainstream journalists turned independent creators, such as Tim Pool, who worked for Vice, and Benny Johnson, formerly of BuzzFeed and the Independent Journal Review. The outlet has grown in influence, hosting shows featuring far-right figures and interviewing high-profile figures like Donald Trump.
Although the influencers claimed to retain full editorial control over their content, the Justice Department claims the content they produced served Russia’s interests. According to court documents, employees of Russian state media outlet RT sought to exploit the influencers’ large audiences by amplifying pro-Russian rhetoric, including criticism of U.S. support for Ukraine and divisive discussions of LGBTQ issues.
While none of the commenters have been charged, the Justice Department says they were paid by Kremlin-controlled sources to promote content that benefited Russian interests. At least three of the influencers have been contacted by the FBI for voluntary interviews.
What the influencers said
Tim Pool, host of The Culture War podcast, responded to the allegations by saying he was a victim. “If these allegations are true, I and the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I can’t speak for anyone else in the company as to what they do or what they are instructed to do,” Pool told his 2.1 million X subscribers.
https://twitter.com/Timcast/status/1831473189173731589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“I am disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which clearly show that I and other influencers were victims of this alleged scheme,” said Benny Johnson, who has 2.7 million followers on X.
https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1831443521603301497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Dave Rubin, host of The Rubin Report, claimed his show with Tenet Media ended months ago. “I and other commenters were victims of this scam. I had absolutely no knowledge of this fraudulent activity,” Rubin told his 1.5 million X subscribers.
https://twitter.com/RubinReport/status/1831478093661245681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Measures taken by the Ministry of Justice
The Justice Ministry has charged two RT employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the law on the registration of foreign agents, the BBC reported.
The indictment accuses these individuals of overseeing funding and editorial operations while secretly directing Tenet Media’s production to advance Russian interests. Despite the influencers’ claims of independence, federal prosecutors say much of the content was strategically aligned with Russian efforts to amplify divisions within the United States.
The indictment also details measures taken by the Russian operation, including the creation of a fake Hungarian investor to mask RT’s involvement and the high salaries paid to influencers who allegedly received up to $100,000 per video.