- Major pro-Trump influencers worked for a company the DOJ alleges was funded by Russia.
- Prosecutors say Tenet Media got nearly $10 million from the Russian state to spread its message in the US.
Several conservative influencers scrambled to deny any involvement after a company paying them was accused of being bankrolled by Russia.
In an indictment this week, the DOJ said an unnamed Tenessee firm took almost $10 million from the Russian state-media company RT.
The aim, per the DOJ, was to "create and distribute content to US audiences with hidden Russian government messaging."
Multiple outlets later identified the firm as Tenet Media, a right-wing media company founded by conservative couple Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan.
Tenet publishes content from six influencers: Lauren Southern, Tim Pool, Taylor Hansen, Matt Christiansen, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson — all of whom are publicly right-wing and support former President Donald Trump.
They are very eager to point out this had nothing to do with them — a claim the DOJ echoed, saying they were never told.
'Myself and other influencers were victims'
One, the commentator Benny Johnson, who has upward of 2.3 million subscribers on his personal YouTube channel, posted a statement on X saying he was a victim.
"A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor," he wrote.
"Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated.
"We are disturbed by the allegations in today's indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise."
He later tweeted a clip of Attorney General Merrick Garland saying that Tenet "never disclosed to the influencers" where the money came from.
Lawsuits. Soon… pic.twitter.com/Av1JqWlFy3
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 6, 2024
'Knew absolutely nothing'
Dave Rubin, a conservative YouTuber, also distances himself from the indictment.
(The document said that an unnamed influencer appearing to match Rubin was paid $400,000 a month by Tenet plus a $100,000 signing bonus.)
"I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period," Rubin wrote on X.
He said he'd had no contact with the DOJ, and that he stopped working with Tenet four months ago.
'Russia sucks donkey balls'
Tim Pool, a podcaster, also denied any knowledge, and said Tenet's only influence on his work was getting to publish it on its own channel.
"Should these allegations prove true, I, as well as the other personalities and commentators, were deceived and are victims," he wrote.
"Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey balls," he added.
'Don't know shit about Russia'
Matt Christiansen posted an hourlong broadcast on X talking about the indictment.
He said Chen, Tenet's founder, did have links to RT but that he had full editorial control over his work.
He said the FBI had contacted him for a voluntary interview as well, but did not say whether he agreed.
"The idea that we're changing electoral outcomes is laughable," said Christiansen.
At another point, he said:"I don't know shit about Russia or Ukraine, and I don't care because they're not my countries"
'Deliberately disingenuous'
Journalist Tayler Hansen posted his initial statement on X, in Russian, describing himself and the other influencers as victims.
He added later in the thread that "It's funny that's why I did it", in reply to a commenter saying that posting in Russian was probably not going to help.
В обвинительном заключении Министерства юстиции говорится, что все ведущие шоу и репортеры стали жертвами, если обвинения верны. Любой, кто поспешил и обвинил ведущих в том, что они являются российскими агентами, намеренно лукавит. Подождите, пока не станет известна вся история и… pic.twitter.com/jLIv0s1S4O
— Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) September 5, 2024
Lauren Southern had yet to comment on the situation as of Friday, and did not respond immediately to BI's request for comment.
YouTube responded to the situation by removing Tenet Media and Southern's channels from the platform.
Conservative media platform Blaze TV also fired Tenet Media founder Lauren Chen following the indictment.