The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 10 individuals and two entities as part of a coordinated US government response to Moscow’s “malign influence efforts” targeting the 2024 US presidential election. Russian state-sponsored actors have long used a variety of tools, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) deep fakes and disinformation, in an attempt to undermine confidence in the United States’ election processes and institutions, the Dept. of Treasury said in a statement on Wednesday.
Beginning in early 2024, executives at RT-Russia’s state-funded news media outlet-began an even more nefarious effort to covertly recruit unwitting American influencers in support of their malign influence campaign. RT used a front company to disguise its own involvement or the involvement of the Russian government in content meant to influence US audiences.
“Today’s action underscores the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to hold state-sponsored actors accountable fo
r activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions,” said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen.
“Treasury will not waver in our commitment to safeguarding our democratic principles and the integrity of our election systems,” Yellen added.
Today’s designations complement law enforcement actions taken by the Department of Justice and the Department of State’s designation of the Rossiya Segodnya media group and five of its subsidiaries, RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik, as Foreign Missions, steps to impose visa restrictions, and release of a Rewards for Justice (RFJ) reward offer of up to USD 10 million relating to information pertaining to foreign interference in a U.S. election.
The Kremlin employs an array of tools, including covert foreign malign influence campaigns and illicit cyber activities, to undermine the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and its allies and partners globally, according to the stateent.
Russia routinely uses
its intelligence services, government-directed proxies, and covert influence tools in these efforts. The Kremlin has increasingly adapted its efforts to hide its involvement by developing a vast ecosystem of Russian proxy websites, fake online personas, and front organizations that give the false appearance of being independent news sources unconnected to the Russian state.
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by US persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of de
signated or otherwise blocked persons.
Source: Kuwait News Agency