In a dramatic twist to the ongoing saga of election interference and misinformation, several prominent right-wing influencers in the United States have claimed they were duped into participating in a Russian disinformation scheme. The allegations come from a recent indictment accusing Moscow of secretly manipulating US media to advance its political aims.
The indictment, released earlier this week, accuses Russian state broadcaster RT (formerly Russia Today) of orchestrating a complex conspiracy to infiltrate US media by funding Tennessee-based firm Tenet Media with $10 million (£7.6 million). The firm was reportedly tasked with creating and broadcasting content to US audiences that subtly promoted Russian government messages.
The indictment suggests that Tenet Media, a company founded in 2022 by conservative Canadian YouTuber Lauren Chen and her husband Liam Donovan, may have unwittingly served as a vehicle for Russian interests. Despite not being directly named in the indictment, Tenet Media has been identified by US media outlets as the firm involved. The company has yet to publicly address the allegations or respond to requests for comment.
Allegations and claim of victimhood
Several right-wing influencers who worked with Tenet Media have publicly expressed their concerns about being manipulated by the alleged Russian conspiracy. These include Tim Pool, David Rubin and Benny Johnson, who have taken to social media to defend themselves against allegations of collusion. They argue that, if the allegations are true, they were mere victims of a sophisticated scheme hatched by Russian operatives.
Tim Pool, best known for his podcast “The Culture War,” expressed his frustration on X/Twitter, telling his 2.1 million followers that he and other commentators had been “duped” and should be considered victims if the allegations prove true. Poole emphasized his belief that he maintained full editorial control over his content and was unaware of any underlying Russian influence.
Similarly, Benny Johnson, who has 2.7 million followers on X, expressed his discomfort at the indictment’s revelations. He claimed that his company’s lawyers had struck a standard deal with Tenet Media, which was later terminated. Johnson denied any knowledge of the alleged Russian involvement, calling himself a victim of a conspiracy. David Rubin, who has 1.5 million followers on X, also distanced himself from the allegations. He said that his show on Tenet Media had ended months earlier and that he had not been contacted by the Justice Department. Rubin reiterated the sentiment that he and other commentators were victims of the scheme, insisting that he had no knowledge of any fraudulent activities. Details of the alleged scheme According to the indictment, Tenet Media was used to broadcast content designed to align with Russian interests and create discord within the United States. The indictment alleges that RT employees Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva played a key role in overseeing the content creation and distribution process. They are accused of conspiring to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The indictment details how Tenet Media produced nearly 2,000 videos that have been viewed more than 16 million times on YouTube. These videos often promoted right-wing narratives on controversial issues such as immigration, gender, and the economy. The content was allegedly edited, posted, and directed by RT employees to advance the interests of the Russian government.
US authorities have described influencers associated with Tenet Media as “unwitting” participants in the alleged scheme. The indictment reveals that some commentators were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars per month for their work, with payments potentially as high as $8.7 million for the most prominent celebrities.
The scheme allegedly involved the creation of a fictitious Hungarian businessman named “Eduard Grigorian” to act as a false investor. The indictment alleges that the Russians went to great lengths to fabricate this identity, including creating a fake CV and conducting phone calls with an agent presenting himself as Grigorian.
Reactions and views from influencers
As the allegations emerged, the right-wing influencers involved have reacted with a mixture of disbelief and defensiveness. Many have taken to social media to publicly address the allegations and claim their innocence. They argue that their editorial independence and content creation was genuine and not influenced by any outside forces.
Mats Kristiansen, a lesser-known commentator who also worked with Tenet Media, defended his role on the livestream. He insisted that he was never instructed by anyone to promote specific messages and that he wrote all of his content independently.
