FBI seizes 32 domains belonging to 'Doppelganger,' a Russian operation network that ran disinformation campaigns during the presidential election
As the US presidential election in November 2024 approaches, it has been revealed that Russia is trying to interfere in the election in various ways, including through
Office of Public Affairs | Justice Department Disrupts Covert Russian Government-Sponsored Foreign Malign Influence Operation Targeting Audiences in the United States and Elsewhere | United States Department of Justice
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-disrupts-covert-russian-government-sponsored-foreign-malign-influence
US cracks down on Russian disinformation before 2024 election
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-cracks-down-on-russian-disinformation-before-2024-election/
US says Russian bots, RT operatives sought to interfere in US : NPR
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/04/nx-s1-5100329/us-russia-election-interference-bots-2024
On September 4, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it was in the process of seizing 32 domains belonging to a Russian government-led malicious influence campaign called 'Doppelganger' for allegedly attempting to interfere in the U.S. presidential election with the aim of spreading Russian propaganda and undermining international support for Ukraine.
Today, the Justice Department announced the ongoing seizure of 32 internet domains used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns colloquially referred to as “Doppelganger,” in violation of US money laundering & criminal trademark laws. pic.twitter.com/zSaxVqrLyS
— US Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) September 4, 2024
According to documents filed in court, the doppelgangers conducted influence operations through the Russian presidential administration, specifically through three Russian front companies controlled by First Deputy Chief of Staff Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko: Social Design Agency ( SDA ), Structura National Technology (Structura), and ANO Dialog.
'The seizure of 32 internet domains deployed covertly to spread malign foreign influence demonstrates once again that Russia remains the leading foreign threat to our elections,' Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said.
The doppelgangers' main tactic is ' cybersquatting,' which involves creating fake websites that look exactly like legitimate ones and spreading Russian government claims as if they were articles from trusted news organizations.
To lure voters to these sites, the doppelgangers used social media accounts impersonating Americans and other nationalities, fake influencers, AI-generated content, and social media ads.
The FBI seized 32 fake domains, including one (washingtonpost.pm) that was created to look like The Washington Post's website (washingtonpost.com).
The Justice Department also indicted Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, executives of Russian state-run media outlet RT (formerly Russia Today), for orchestrating a $10 million scheme to create and distribute pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation to Americans.
The two worked with a Tennessee-based online content production company to distribute content on social media platforms including TikTok, X, Instagram and YouTube, and according to the indictment, RT posted 2,000 videos on YouTube that have been viewed more than 16 million times in total.
In a statement , RT said it had considered seven comments in response to a CNN article reporting the Justice Department's announcement, including 'Hahaha!' and 'Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in US elections,' but was unable to decide on one.
In response to RT's tongue-in-cheek statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland told a press conference, 'It may have been funnier in the original Russian, but it was not funny to us at all. This is a very serious matter and we will respond accordingly.'
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