WASHINGTON — YouTube says the channels of a far-right Canadian influencer have been removed after U.S. officials alleged the company she co-founded received US$760,000 in fees and commissions as part of an alleged Russian ploy to dupe right-wing influencers into sowing division among Americans.
An indictment filed Wednesday charged two employees of RT, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, in a US$10-million scheme that purportedly used social media personalities to distribute content with Russian government messaging.
While not explicitly mentioned in court documents, the details match up with Tenet Media, founded by Canadian Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan, who identifies as her husband on social media.
"Following an indictment ... and after careful review, we are terminating the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by its owner Lauren Chen as part of our ongoing efforts to combat co-ordinated influence operations," a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement.
Chen, listed as a contributor on RT's website, was born in Canada and raised in Hong Kong. Her other social media accounts had fallen silent since the indictment and she had not responded to an emailed request for comment.
Court documents allege the Russians created a fake investor who provided money to the social media company to hire the influencers, paying the founders significant fees, including through a company account in Canada.
The two RT employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The U.S. Justice Department doesn’t allege any wrongdoing by the influencers.
Among Tenet Media personalities are popular influencers Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson. Pool posted on social media that he had been contacted by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims," Pool said on X.
Right-wing Canadian commentator Lauren Southern is also among the Tenet cast. She had not posted on social media about the indictment, nor responded to an email asking for comment.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said he could not comment on the investigation but confirmed Canada had been working in close co-operation with the U.S. and other allies.
"Any Canadians who illegally assist in Russia's persistent attempts to use disinformation, criminal and covert activities, and corruption to undermine our sovereignty and democratic processes will face the full force of Canadian law," LeBlanc said in a statement Thursday.
The RCMP would not confirm an investigation in Canada. An emailed statement said Friday the Mounties work with partners, both domestic and foreign, to share intelligence and "enable the prevention, investigation and enforcement of criminal sanctions evasion."
U.S. court documents said the founders were connected to a fictional private investor named “Eduard Grigoriann” in 2022.
The investor contracted the founders to find influencers for a new platform. One influencer's contract included a $400,000 monthly fee and a $100,000 signing bonus.
The founders initially received $8,000 a month plus a percentage of any deals closed with influencers. Some of the money from shell corporations landed in the Canadian arm of the company's coffers.
There have been no charges against the founders. Court documents state they said in private communications their investors were "Russians."
An official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, speaking on background, said foreign actors, particularly Russia, are ramping up efforts ahead of the November election.
“Amplifying controversial issues and rhetoric that seeks to divide Americans can serve their interest by making the U.S. and its democratic system look weak," the official said Friday. "And by keeping the U.S. government distracted with internal issues instead of pushing back on their hostile behaviour."
Stephanie Carvin, a former national security analyst, was not surprised Canadians could get caught up in this type of scheme.
"There’s a lot of very prominent far-right figures that are of Canadian origin and they try to make it in the States," said the associate professor of international relations at Carleton University.
She said an important aspect that still begs explanation is how money allegedly from Russia came into Canada through shell companies.
Global efforts sanctioning Russia have escalated since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. RT and other parts of Russia’s media machine were banned from operating in both the U.S. and Canada.
A recent report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians said China and India are the most active perpetrators engaging in sophisticated and pervasive interference, specifically targeting Canada's democratic processes before, during and after elections.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
— With files from The Associated Press
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
