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DOJ Indicts RT Employees for $10M Money Laundering Scheme to Influence 2024 U.S. Election, Says Garland

Sep 4, 2024, 10:44 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted two employees of Russia's state-controlled media outlet RT, Kostiantyn Kalashnikova and Elena Afanasyeva, on charges of money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment, unsealed by U.S. Attorney General Garland, alleges that the RT employees funneled $10 million to Tennessee-based Tenet Media to disseminate pro-Russian propaganda. Tenet Media, which features right-wing commentators such as Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, and Lauren Southern, is accused of being a front for a Russian influence operation aimed at swaying American opinion on Russia and its war in Ukraine. The DOJ claims the scheme was part of broader efforts by Putin's inner circle to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The indictment also suggests that some of the media personalities involved were unaware of the Russian funding. Additionally, the DOJ has implicated Trans-Atlantic Media and noted that Tenet Media is owned by Lauren Chen.