A group of conservative influencers in the US have been accused of being victims of a Russian disinformation campaign to influence the presidential elections. The Biden administration has alleged that a Tennessee-based content creation company associated with influencers like Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, received nearly $10 million from Russian state media employees to promote Moscow’s interests.
The company, believed to be Tenet Media, reportedly published videos in favor of Russia on various social media channels, without disclosing its ties to RT and the Russian government. The influencers claim they were unaware of the company’s connections and have expressed shock at the allegations.
The justice department indictment accuses two RT employees of covertly funding the content company to produce pro-Russia videos. The influencers, who had millions of followers, allegedly did not know they were being paid by RT. The company, which received over 16 million views on YouTube, paid production companies millions of dollars without disclosing the source of the funding.
In response to the allegations, the Biden administration seized Kremlin-run websites, charged Russian state media employees, and sanctioned RT’s editor-in-chief and other employees for spreading disinformation. The treasury department described Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT, as a central figure in Russian influence efforts.
The justice department’s indictment, part of efforts to combat Russian disinformation, highlights the growing concerns over foreign interference in US elections. The influencers involved have distanced themselves from the alleged scheme, emphasizing that they were victims of deception.
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