Two Russian nationals working for a news network controlled by Vladimir Putin’s government allegedly funneled millions of dollars to an American media company that paid right-wing influencers to create videos favorable to Russia. Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, based in Moscow, were charged with conspiracy to launder money and violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Justice Department also accused the Russian government of meddling in the 2024 U.S. elections, claiming that RT, funded by Russia, oversaw covert projects to weaken American opposition to Russian interests.
The indictment revealed that the Tennessee-based company, Tenet Media, was funded by RT through shell entities and published videos on various social media platforms that focused on U.S. events and issues. The content of these videos often aligned with Russia’s interests in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions, such as immigration and foreign policy. Tenet Media featured right-wing influencers like Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, and Benny Johnson, who have millions of followers on YouTube and other platforms. However, upon learning about the alleged scheme, some of the influencers claimed they were deceived and unaware of the funding source.
Tenet Media, founded by Liam Donovan and Lauren Chen, launched in 2023 and never disclosed its ties to RT or registered with the Justice Department as an agent of a foreign principal. The company deceived U.S. internet commentators into producing videos by masking the source of funding from RT, creating a false profile of a private investor named “Eduard Grigoriann.” The indictment outlined contracts with two influencers, requiring them to create videos for significant amounts of money. The Russians involved in the scheme oversaw the company’s operations, monitoring content without disclosing their affiliation with RT.
Afanasyeva, one of the Russian operatives, allegedly pushed for blaming Ukraine and the U.S. for the March terrorist attack in Moscow, despite evidence pointing to the Islamic State’s responsibility. The indictment also described how fake personas were created to promote Tenet’s videos and influence creators to share content daily. Throughout the scheme, the founders of Tenet privately acknowledged that their investors were actually Russians, indicating their involvement in the deceptive practices. RT sent wire transfers totaling over $9.7 million to Tenet between 2023 and 2024, with the majority of funds disbursed to contracted commentators.
Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Justice Department will not tolerate authoritarian regimes exploiting the free exchange of ideas to advance their propaganda efforts. The investigation into the matter remains ongoing, and both Tenet Media and RT did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Russian Embassy in Washington also did not provide a response to the allegations. The indictment sheds light on the extent of Russian influence operations targeting American social media platforms through deceptive practices and undisclosed funding sources.
