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US accuses Russian state media network RT of influencing 2024 election

Posted on by Vaseline
US accuses Russian state media network RT of influencing 2024 election

KEY POINTS
  • The United States has filed money laundering charges against two employees of the Russian state media network RT.
  • They are accused of using shell companies to pay a local company to produce divisive online videos.
  • A Russian lawmaker called the allegations “pure nonsense.” Officials have repeatedly denied that the US meddled in the election.
The United States has filed money laundering charges against two employees of Russia’s state media network RT in a scheme officials say involved hiring a U.S. company to produce online content to influence the 2024 presidential election.
Justice Department officials said the two employees used shell companies and fake profiles to pay $10 million (Australian $15 million) to an unnamed Tennessee company to produce online videos aimed at deepening political divisions in the U.S.
The US Treasury and State Departments also announced measures against RT, including the network’s editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonovna Simonyan.
US officials said the Russian government’s goal was to increase political divisions in the US and undermine public support for
A woman in a blue suit looks ahead with a serious expression on her face.

The US Treasury and State Departments also announced measures against RT, including editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan. Source: Getty / Valery Sharifulin / Sputnik / AFP

“We will continue to aggressively and relentlessly pursue and disrupt efforts by Russia and Iran, as well as China and other malign foreign actors, to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said ahead of a meeting on threats to the U.S. election.

The FBI has separately asked a judge for permission to seize 32 Internet domains that it says were part of Russia’s foreign influence efforts.
RT responded mockingly, telling Reuters: “Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT’s interference in the US elections.”
The media outlet ceased operating in the US after
A Russian lawmaker called the allegations “pure nonsense” and said the Kremlin does not think it will matter whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris wins the Nov. 5 election.

“The only winner of the US elections is the American private military-industrial complex,” Duma deputy Maria Butina told Reuters.

The Russian Embassy in Washington DC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russian officials have repeatedly said the country does not interfere in US elections.
The indictment accuses the two RT employees – Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva – of conspiracy to violate US anti-money laundering and anti-foreign agent laws.

Both are based in Russia.

The Tennessee company has produced nearly 2,000 videos on topics ranging from immigration to inflation, which have been viewed 16 million times on YouTube since last November, according to the Justice Department.
The lawsuit does not name the Tennessee company or accuse its executives of wrongdoing.
However, the company allegedly failed to disclose that it was funded by RT and that its executives never registered with the Justice Department that they were acting as agents of a foreign government.
Justice Department officials say and his surrogates are using increasingly sophisticated techniques, targeting specific groups of voters and voters in key states, and now using bot farms and artificial intelligence.

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