Public court records and announcements from the U.S. Department of Justice

DOJ Indicts RT Employees for $10M Tennessee Scheme to Influence U.S. Opinion: Garland

Sep 4, 2024, 10:27 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted two employees of the Russian state broadcaster RT for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to influence American public opinion on Russia and its war against Ukraine. The indictment claims that RT employees covertly funded and directed a Tennessee-based company, Tenet Media, with $10 million to disseminate content favorable to the Russian government. The scheme involved paying prominent right-wing social media influencers to spread propaganda through thousands of videos. The individuals indicted are Kostya Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva. U.S. Attorney General Garland stated that the DOJ's investigation revealed that the company described itself as a 'network of heterodox commentators' on Western politics and culture.