United States law officials say the founders of a company connected to Canada received $760,000 in fees and commissions during a Russian ploy to dupe right-wing influencers to share videos to further the Kremlin’s interests and sow division among Americans. A man uses a computer keyboard in Toronto in this Sunday, Oct. 9, 2023 photo illustration. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
WASHINGTON – U.S. officials say the founders of a company connected to Canada received US$760,000 in fees and commissions as part of an alleged Russian ploy to dupe right-wing influencers into sowing division among Americans.
An indictment filed Wednesday charged two employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, in a US$10-million scheme that purportedly used social media personalities to distribute content with Russian government messaging.
While not explicitly mentioned in court documents, the details match up with Tenet Media, founded by Canadian Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan, who identifies as her husband on social media.
Chen, listed as a contributor on RT’s website, was born in Canada and raised in Hong Kong.
Two RT employees are facing charges, though the U.S. Justice Department doesn’t allege any wrongdoing by the influencers.
Court documents allege the Russians created a fake investor who provided money to the social media company to hire the influencers, paying the founders significant fees, including through a company account in Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
– With files from The Associated Press
