Tenet Media accused of funneling millions from Russia to right-wing influencers

Tenet Media allegedly received millions from RT to pay right-wing influencers for promoting Kremlin-backed narratives.

Tenet Media, a Tennessee-based company, has been accused of receiving millions of dollars from the Russian state-backed network RT to pay right-wing influencers for promoting Kremlin-approved narratives, according to a federal indictment unsealed by the US Department of Justice on Wednesday. 

Although the company is referred to as "Company 1" in court documents, several media outlets, including CNN and Wired, have identified it as Tenet Media.

With a strong presence on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, Tenet Media reportedly posted nearly 2,000 videos pushing Kremlin talking points. 

These videos, which have garnered over 16 million views, focus on topics such as US immigration, inflation, and both domestic and foreign policy, often amplifying divisions within the United States.

My statement regarding allegations and the DOJ Indictment

Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims. I cannot speak for anyone else at the company as to what they do or to what they are instructed…

— Tim Pool 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@Timcast) September 4, 2024

The Department of Justice claims Tenet Media received $9.7 million from RT, with $8.7 million funneled to production companies of three unnamed commentators. One commentator allegedly received $400,000 per month for four weekly videos.

A statement on the leaked DOJ indictment today:

A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s…

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 4, 2024

Right-wing influencers like Benny Johnson and Tim Pool, paid by Tenet Media, have not been accused of wrongdoing, Wired magazine reported.

Two RT employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, have been charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and money laundering. Both remain at large.