Blaze Media, a conservative media company, has cut ties with YouTube contributor Lauren Chen after she was linked to an alleged Russian influence operation that was exposed by the U.S. Department of Justice this week.
An indictment filed Wednesday by the DOJ alleges that a group of right-wing influencers — including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — was being secretly funded by Russian state media employees to provide content that was aligned with the Kremlin’s political interests in the U.S.
“Lauren Chen was an independent contractor, whose contract has been terminated,” Blaze Media CEO Tyler Cardon told TheWrap in a Thursday statement.
Chen and her husband, Liam Donovan, cofounded Tenet Media, which was seemingly connected to the funneling of funds from Russian sources, paying influencers massive sums for content that included Russian propaganda talking points, according to the indictment.
Neither Chen nor Donovan are named in the DOJ’s indictment, instead charging two Russians linked to Russia Today, the state-owned and operated TV organization, with violations of foreign influence regulations and money laundering. The accusations include the funneling of nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based content creation company in exchange for Russian propaganda content.
Chen has not yet commented on the matter, however, several influencers involved in the alleged influence campaign have denied any knowledge of the details. The DOJ noted in the indictment that it is not placing blame on the influencers themselves, some of whom were provided false information on the source of the company’s funding.
The recent indictment has shed light on Russia’s attempts to influence the U.S. political climate, seeking to capitalize on the fractured media environment as right-wing influencer popularity soars.
Semafor was first to report the news.
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