By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Worthy News) – U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has seized what it says are “Kremlin-run websites” and charged two Russian state media workers as part of what critics view as a crackdown on media with non-Western views.
One criminal case disclosed by the Justice Department accuses two employees of RT, a Russian state media company, of covertly funding a Tennessee-based content creation company with nearly $10 million.
The company then published English-language videos on social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube with messages in favor of the Russian government’s interests and agenda, including about the war in Ukraine.
Prosecutors said nearly 2,000 videos posted by the company have received more than 16 million views on YouTube alone.
The two defendants, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva are charged with “conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act,” Worthy News learned.
“They are at large,” police said.
DENYING WRONGDOING
It was not immediately clear if they had lawyers.
US investigators say Kremlin-backed media favor former President Donald J. Trump over his rival and current Vice President Kamala Harris in the race to the White House.
RT said has denied wrongdoing.
However, “We certainly react. Actually, we had several, but we couldn’t decide on one (we even thought of running an office poll), so here they are,” the network added.
It condemned the arrests of staff members, saying, “2016 called, and it wants its clichés back.”
RT added: “Three things are certain in life: death, taxes, and RT’s interference in the U.S. elections.”
Additionally, “We gotta earn our Kremlin paycheck somehow,” and “Somewhere Secretary Clinton is sad that it’s not because of her.”
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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