A Tennessee-based media company with prominent MAGA personalities on its roster has been accused of receiving millions of dollars from two employees of Russia Today (RT), a Russian state-backed media company, to influence American viewers.
According to Attorney General Merrick B. To Garland, Russian operatives “conceived a $10 million scheme to create and distribute material to US audiences with hidden Russian government messages.”
While one is described as “US Company 1”. Sealed indictment On Wednesday, indications are that it is Tenet Media, which has been named Various reports As the firm in question.
The indictment describes how Company-1’s website describes itself as a “network of heterodox commentators focusing on Western political and cultural issues”. He designates six commentators as his “talents”.
Far-right YouTube commentators on Tenet Media’s roster include Tim Poole, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, Taylor Henson, Lauren Southern, and Matt Christianson. The indictment does not name names, but the internet personalities are identified only as “Commentator-1” and “Commentator-2”.
The Daily Beast reached out to Poole, Rubin and Tenet for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Johnson, however, said in a statement on X That “we are troubled by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make it clear that I and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme.”
Poole, in his statement on Xwrote, “If these allegations prove to be true, I as well as other personalities and critics were duped and victimized. I can’t speak for anyone else in the company about what they do or what they are instructed to do.
He added: “Putin is a scoundrel, Russia sucks the ass.”
The company has created hundreds of videos through its Rumble page, all with a conservative bent. Some of which, like, “What will the future look like under Trump? | Benny Johnson and Lara Trump“Actively supports former President Donald Trump.
Trump has appeared alongside Pool on Pool The IRL Podcast—and he even visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in May.
The DOJ investigation of RT employees, identified as Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasayeva, 27, alleges that the two secretly financed and directed the Tennessee-based online content creation company (US Company-1) for approximately $10 million was deposited. . In turn, US Company-1 published English-language videos on multiple social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram, X and YouTube. Since its public launch in or around November 2023, US Company-1 has posted nearly 2,000 videos that have garnered more than 16 million views on YouTube alone.”
The indictment claims that while “Founder-I, and Founder-2 worked together to cover up the true source of US Company-1’s funding,” critics themselves were allegedly duped, including Founder-I, and Founder-2. Worked together. Two US online commentators, who have 2.4 million and 1.3 million YouTube subscribers, respectively.” Dave Rubins The Rubin Report 2.4 million YouTube subscribers, while Tim Poole’s YouTube page has 1.37 million.
Tenet Media was founded by Liam Donovan and his wife, conservative influencer Lauren Chen. The indictment shows that even though some employees questioned the content, “Founder-I, and Founder-2” still pushed the content to go live.
“On or about February 15, 2024, AFANASYEVA (as “Helena Shudra”) shared a video of a prominent U.S. political commentator visiting a grocery store in Russia with U.S. Company-I,” the indictment reads, pointing to the attribution of Tucker Carlson. Visit the country without naming them directly.
“It just looks like overt shilling,” one producer wrote in a private dispute message to Founder2 regarding the video. Founder 2 replied that Founder-I “thinks we should put it in there.” The producer replied, “Okay, I’ll put it up tomorrow.”
Russia Today responded to the allegations Reuters According to the outlet, “with irony,” three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and RT’s interference in the US election.
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