The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated proceedings to confiscate 32 internet domains, allegedly exploited by the Russian government and its affiliates to orchestrate covert influence campaigns, a strategy known as "Doppelganger."
This information was revealed in an affidavit that was made public on Wednesday.
According to The Post Millennial, these actions are deemed to contravene U.S. money laundering and criminal trademark laws. Attorney General Merrick Garland unveiled these allegations during a media briefing.
The affidavit accuses Russian entities of manipulating these domains "to covertly spread Russian government propaganda with the aim of reducing international support for Ukraine, bolstering pro-Russian policies and interests, and influencing voters in US and foreign elections, including the US 2024 Presidential Election." Russian PR firms such as Social Design Agency (SDA), Structura National Technology (Structura), and ANO Dialog are purportedly managing these domains under the guidance of the Russian Presidential Administration. Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, the first deputy chief of staff of the Russian presidential executive office, is reportedly spearheading this operation.
"The Justice Department is seizing 32 internet domains that the Russian government and Russian government-sponsored actors have used to engage in a covert campaign to interfere in and influence the outcome of our country's elections," declared Attorney General Garland. "As alleged in our court filings, President Vladimir Putin's inner circle, including Sergei Kiriyenko, directed Russian public relations companies to promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives as part of a campaign to influence the 2024 US Presidential Election."
Garland further elaborated, "An internal planning document created by the Kremlin states that a goal of the campaign is to secure Russia's preferred outcome in the election. The sites we are seizing today were filled with Russian government propaganda that had been created by the Kremlin to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster pro-Russian policies and interests, and influence voters in the United States and other countries."
FBI Director Christopher Wray, in the DOJ press release, stated that the aforementioned companies "relied on cutting-edge AI to sow disinformation." Simultaneously, the U.S. Treasury Department announced the designation of 10 individuals and two entities in connection with the domain seizures, as part of a coordinated response to Russia's malign influence efforts targeting the November election. The DOJ accused two individuals, who were working on behalf of RT Media, of laundering $10 million to conservative company TENET Media to disseminate Russian propaganda and sow discord in the United States.
This announcement aligns with the Treasury Department's designation of actors implicated in Doppelganger, which was made in March. "Our actions today make clear that the Justice Department will be aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by the Russian government, or any other malign actor, to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy," Garland affirmed.
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