Russia made useful idiots out of MAGA's top influencers. It was nearly effortless.

A federal indictment alleges a Russian propaganda outlet laundered millions to some of the internet's biggest pro-Trump personalities

(Source: Benny Johnson on Rumble)

TWO EMPLOYEES of a Russian state-owned media outlet helped launder millions to MAGA social media starlets, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. With the help of a Canadian YouTuber, Moscow effortlessly enlisted conservative click-baiters as their “useful idiots.”

The US Department of Justice alleged that Russia Today, a state-sponsored propaganda mill, laundered $10 million to Tenet Media: a video brand launched by YouTube personality Lauren Chen (aka “Roaming Millennial”) and her husband Liam Donovan last year. Chen allegedly maintained secret business arrangements with Russia Today and billed the company for videos uploaded to her personal YouTube channel.

According to the indictment, Chen and Donovan conspired with Russian media operatives to recruit big names for Tenet Media. The company’s lineup of commentators suggests the duo drew on Chen’s relationships in US political media and activism, including her positions as a Blaze Media host and a Turning Point USA contributor. (After news of the operation broke, Blaze Media fired Chen and TPUSA deleted her contributor page.)

Lauren Chen speaks at a 2022 Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona. (Source: Gage Skidmore)

Tenet Media successfully brokered deals that commissioned and licensed content from a handful of MAGA’s top media talents: Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, Dave Rubin, Tayler Hansen and Matt Christiansen. Chen and Donovan allegedly lied to commentators about Tenet Media’s funding, and Russia Today employees masqueraded under pseudonyms within the company. Some commentators’ contracts with Tenet Media were worth millions.

Personalities contracted with Tenet Media denied knowledge of the Russian scheme and instead portrayed themselves as “victims” of the operation. Several influencers stated their content was produced independently and without input from Tenet Media’s Russian handlers. After releasing statements, they continued producing content for their channels as if nothing had happened.

But the indictment included details that suggested Russia Today employees were in fact successful in exercising some degree of editorial direction over the commentators they employed. They edited their content, suggested topics for their videos, and lobbied them to promote content on Tenet Media’s accounts – some of which was explicitly shared to advance Russian state narratives.

TENET Media’s banner image on X shows a lineup of its “talent” (from left to right): Lauren Southern, Benny Johnson, Matt Christiansen, Tayler Hansen, and Tim Pool. (Source: X)

A few big things stick out to me in this story.

[…]

Russia Today saw MAGA’s top talent as a natural fit for its objectives

Russia’s propaganda efforts in the West seek to promote perceptions of chaos, strife, and division within the nations they target. By doing so, they hope to weaken social stability and undermine faith in governments that oppose Russia’s global endeavors.

Russia Today was willing to pay outrageous sums of money to major MAGA content creators and when it found them, it did. The fact that figures like Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson were so valued by Russian propagandists should illuminate how similar mainstream MAGA talking points are to narratives Russia hopes will sow turmoil in the US.

Though Pool or Johnson may not be household names, they are MAGA movement superstars who enjoy access to Republican Party elites. Tenet Media has published interviews with major GOP figures including Trump’s adult son Donald Trump Jr, Republican National Committee chair Lara Trump, and Sens. Ted Cruz and Marsha Blackburn. Pool was given an interview with Trump earlier this year and regularly hosts Republican politicians on his podcast.

Commentators who worked for Tenet Media have claimed the company did not have editorial input on their content, as if that would be evidence of their moral innocence. But naturally producing content that Moscow is willing to pay out the nose for is a weird flex, to me.

Influencers asked few questions before they took millions from shady sources

All I can figure is that accepting major drops of cash from questionable sources must be more commonplace in online conservative media ecosystems than we realize. Following along in the indictment, top Tenet Media talent appeared they were minimally interested in who their (grossly overpaid) contracts were going to be paid by.

When Tenet Media offered a laughably fake resume to one commentator for review, the concerns they raised were not about the mysterious French man who supposedly wanted to shower them in money, but that the words “social justice” appeared in his resume. The indictment states: “Founder-I reported to Persona-I that Commentator-I had ‘a problem with the profile we sent over, specifically the reference to “social justice.” I think it may be because that's usually a term used by liberals, but we're trying to create a conservative network.’"

The fake resume for Tenet Media’s supposed investor that was provided to one commentator. (Source: DOJ Indictment)

Efforts to deceive commentators about the Russian backing of Tenet Media were not especially elaborate or uniquely deceptive. Many people might think it was inherently suspicious if an unknown French man wanted to give them gross amounts of money for minimal work.

That the situation passed for “normal” in the upper echelons of MAGA media is a statement in itself, and should raise serious questions about the media ecosystem Tenet Media talent help lead.

The influencers are unrepentant

Perhaps the most galling thing about this whole story is how unapologetic and shameless Tenet Media commentators have been in their reactions to the scandal. It appears none have exercised an ounce of self-reflection or humility. They have instead chosen to cast themselves as helpless victims.

There’s virtually no chance that right-wing media will attempt to enforce an iota of accountability against Tenet Media commentators. Their audiences are unlikely to hold them in any less high regard. Money will continue to flow into their bank accounts.

And Catturd will stand with them.

(Source: Catturd on X)

All typos were on purpose.

---

---

One for the road…

(Source: Nicholas Grossman on X)

---

You don't know how lucky you are, boys
Back in the U.S.S.R