September 4, 2024judicialelection securityforeign influencemedia transparencycybersecurityelectionsdisinformationstate media
Justice Department charges RT operatives and seizes Doppelganger domains ahead of the 2024 election
The Justice Department said two RT employees covertly funded and directed a U.S. media company to push hidden Russian government messaging, then separately announced the seizure of 32 domains used in the Kremlin-linked Doppelganger influence campaign. Treasury paired the criminal case and domain takedown with sanctions on people and entities tied to Moscow's 2024 election effort. The combined action mattered because it showed Russian interference hitting U.S. audiences through both paid influencers and fake news websites at the same time (DOJ releases; Treasury sanctions; CNBC and Reuters coverage).
Sources
Two RT Employees Indicted for Covertly Funding and Directing U.S. Company that Published Thousands of Videos in Furtherance of Russian InterestsJustice Department Disrupts Covert Russian Government-Sponsored Foreign Malign Influence Operation Targeting Audiences in the United States and ElsewhereTreasury Takes Action as Part of a U.S. Government Response to Russia’s Foreign Malign Influence OperationsU.S. targets Russia over 2024 election opinion effortUS charges employees of Russia's RT network in crackdown on election influence efforts