The Biden administration has made a significant accusation against Russia, claiming that the country is attempting to interfere in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. This interference allegedly includes a sophisticated influence campaign that involves the creation of fake news sites designed to covertly spread Russian propaganda. The Justice Department has taken action by filing charges against two individuals and seizing more than two dozen internet domains that were used in this foreign malign influence campaign, which was allegedly directed by the Russian government.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced these efforts at the beginning of a meeting of the Election Threats Task Force, which included top officials from the FBI and Justice Department. The State and Treasury Departments are also set to announce a series of parallel actions against Russia in response to these allegations.
The indictment unsealed in federal district court in New York charges two Russia-based employees of RT, a state-controlled media outlet, with conspiring to commit money laundering and violating the Federal Agents Registration Act. Garland stated that RT and the two employees were involved in a $10 million scheme to fund and direct a Tennessee-based company to publish and disseminate information favorable to the Russian government, consistent with Russia’s goal of pushing U.S. divisions and anti-Ukraine content.
Garland emphasized the importance of transparency, stating that the American people have the right to know when a foreign power is trying to exploit the country’s free exchange of ideas to spread its own propaganda. The Justice Department also seized 32 internet domains used by the Russian government and pro-Russian actors in what Garland described as a covert campaign to interfere and influence the outcome of U.S. elections.
The schemes uncovered by the Justice Department demonstrate the lengths to which the Russian government is willing to go to undermine the democratic process, according to Garland. He stressed that these actions are “deadly serious” and will be treated accordingly by the authorities.
The “Doppelganger” campaign, as detailed in a 71-page affidavit unsealed in federal district court in Pennsylvania, involved the use of the seized internet domains by the Russian government and government-backed actors to engage in foreign malign influence campaigns. These campaigns violated U.S. money laundering and criminal trademark laws and were directed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration since at least 2022.
Russian companies used these domains to impersonate legitimate news entities and unique media brands, covertly spreading Russian government propaganda at the direction of Putin’s inner circle. The campaigns aimed to influence the upcoming presidential election by using cybersquatted domains that mimicked legitimate news outlets like the Washington Post and Fox News, but were actually fake sites spreading Russian propaganda.
The Justice Department accused the Doppelganger campaign of using influencers worldwide, paid social media advertisements, and fake social media profiles purporting to be U.S. citizens to drive traffic to the domains, tricking viewers into believing they were visiting legitimate news outlets’ websites. Projects targeted at the U.S. included the “Good Old USA Project,” “Guerilla Media Campaign,” and “U.S. Social Media Influencers Network Project.”
Documents associated with these projects revealed specific objectives, target audiences, and campaign topics aimed at influencing U.S. voters. The “Good Old USA” project sought to boost anti-Ukraine sentiment and lower President Biden’s confidence rating, while the “Guerilla Media Campaign” exploited fears and views held by an unnamed political party, believed to be the GOP.
Warnings about election interference have been issued by top officials in the Biden administration, including FBI Director Chris Wray. He emphasized that foreign adversaries, including Russia, Iran, and China, have continued to try to interfere with the electoral process in the U.S. The FBI has disrupted Russian AI-enhanced social media bot farms that spread disinformation and influence operations targeting American voters.
Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, also highlighted the persistent threat posed by foreign adversaries attempting to undermine American confidence in democracy and sow partisan discord. The intelligence community has observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during the 2024 election cycle, including influence operations and cyber operations targeting presidential campaigns.
The U.S. intelligence community has previously charged Russian entities for interfering in the 2016 election and has identified Russia’s involvement in election interference campaigns in multiple democracies. The recent actions by the Biden administration against Russia signal a continued commitment to safeguarding the integrity of U.S. elections and combating foreign interference in the democratic process.
