Popular Conservatives Allegedly Tricked Into $10M Russian Influence Campaign: DOJ

It looks like we’re doing September surprises now…

Illustration via MediaITE

The DOJ has accused several conservative influencers of unwittingly working for a Kremlin-funded media outlet.

A federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday alleges that a Tennessee-based media company, later identified as Tenet Media, received nearly $10 million from employees of Russian state-backed media company, Russia Today (RT), as part of “a scheme to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging.”

The DOJ claims that RT and two of its employees – Kostiantyn “Kostya” Kalashnikov and Elena “Lena” Afanasyeva – worked to funnel money to Tenet Media as part of a series of “covert projects” aimed at shaping narratives within Western audiences.

The indictment specifically notes that the influencers – including Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin and Lauren Southern – had no idea they were taking Russian money, and were deceived. They were told by Tenet founder Lauren Chen – who allegedly knew the true source of the funds – that the money was from a wealthy private investor named “Eduard Grigoriann.”

The influencers named appear to have been deceived about funding sources by Lauren Chen, founder Tenet. Secondly, Lauren Chen, the alleged Russian agent receiving millions for propaganda (allegedly) has actively been discouraging votes for Trump and dividing the Right. Read the… pic.twitter.com/2JmVk2iml3

— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) September 4, 2024

At least one of the influencers asked for a profile on Grigoriann before signing a contract – and was given a fabricated one-page profile.

This was apparently sufficient, as two of the commentators (believed to be Tim Pool and Benny Johnson) signed contracts which paid Pool $100,000 per podcast, while Johnson was paid $400,000 per month plus a $100,000 signing bonus for “four weekly videos.”

They let her off. Mostly likely, she entered some off the books deal, to protect a federal asset who Tenet media aggressively promoted, and for access to all her devices. Plus they were able to monitor her under FISA and no doubt did a few hops off that.

— Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 4, 2024

While Pool and Johnson have issued statements (below), it’s been pointed out that Lauren Chen has recently been trying to divide Donald Trump’s base…

Interestingly enough, in recent weeks, Lauren has been telling her followers to boycott Trump. It’s entirely unclear if she was doing so at the direction of the Russian government. Nonetheless, worth noting. pic.twitter.com/o9mLFw7gMH

— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.today (@JordanSchachtel) September 4, 2024

Lauren Chen catching a break? Sounds like the typical leftist double standard in play! Trust the liberals to protect their own when the rest of us would be toast!

— The Scoop (@TheScoopUS) September 4, 2024

This is likely backdrop to Garland’s “Russia, Russia, Russia.” To notes: 1) No one serious believes Russia backs Trump; 2) What I want to know is whether anything Russia paid for is FALSE. As I said: https://t.co/tRcXbg3Pjs https://t.co/RgZwaAWK5V

— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) September 4, 2024

In a Wednesday statement on X, Pool says that should the allegations prove true, “I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims,” and ends by telling haters to “eat my irish ass.”

My statement regarding allegations and the DOJ Indictment

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed…

— Tim Pool (@Timcast) September 4, 2024

Johnson says “Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated,” adding “We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme.”

A statement on the leaked DOJ indictment today:

A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s…

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 4, 2024

We’re sure the timing of this, two months before the election, was a total coincidence. How long has the DOJ been sitting on this? Why did it drop a day after we learned that a Chinese spy was working for NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, or that Poole was going to sue Kamala Harris for defamation?

So @Timcast announces he will be suing Kamala and her campaign for defamation and within 24 hrs the DOJ launches an assault calling him a paid Russian asset.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

— Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) September 4, 2024

And of course, the NeverTrumpers like Rick Wilson are giddy with joy…

Obviously we should be flushing out any foreign influence operation but let’s not pretend this is a problem exclusive to the right

— Auron MacIntyre (@AuronMacintyre) September 4, 2024