Justice Department accuses Russia of interfering with 2024 elections | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/doj-russia-interfering-us-elections-2024\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Justice Department accuses Russia of interfering with 2024 elections\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The U.S. government announced indictments, seizures and sanctions against individuals they say were associated with a propaganda campaign targeting the 2024 election.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/doj-russia-interfering-us-elections-2024\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-04T19:15:55+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-04T19:15:56+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"mbracken\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\">\n<link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/use.typekit.net\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/feed\/\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Comments Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/comments\/feed\/\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-includes\/css\/dist\/block-library\/style.min.css?m=1721926675g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/mu-plugins\/search\/elasticpress\/dist\/css\/related-posts-block-styles.min.css?m=1725400357g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/themes\/scoopnewsgroup\/dist\/css\/frontend.css?m=1724269863g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\">\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"typekit-css\" href=\"https:\/\/use.typekit.net\/itk2qbh.css?ver=ada0ad45b21fc79c6694\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"https:\/\/api.w.org\/\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/\"><link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"JSON\" type=\"application\/json\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81638\"><link rel=\"EditURI\" type=\"application\/rsd+xml\" title=\"RSD\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/xmlrpc.php?rsd\">\n<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"WordPress 6.6.1\">\n<link rel=\"shortlink\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81638\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"oEmbed (JSON)\" type=\"application\/json+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Fdoj-russia-interfering-us-elections-2024%2F\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"oEmbed (XML)\" type=\"text\/xml+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Fdoj-russia-interfering-us-elections-2024%2F&format=xml\">   <link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=32\" sizes=\"32x32\">\n<link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=192\" sizes=\"192x192\">\n<link rel=\"apple-touch-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=180\">\n<meta name=\"msapplication-TileImage\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=270\"> <\/head><body class=\"post-template-default single single-post postid-81638 single-format-standard\" id=\"readabilityBody\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/doj-russia-interfering-us-elections-2024\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"4.952380952381\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2024 CyberScoop 50 awards! <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/vote\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.911940298507\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"30.778947368421\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/geopolitics\/\"> <span>Geopolitics<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The U.S. government announced indictments, seizures and sanctions against individuals they say were associated with a propaganda campaign targeting the 2024 election. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg?resize=505,337 505w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-2.jpg?resize=1012,675 1012w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px\"><figcaption> Attorney General Merrick Garland announces the indictments of two employees of Russia’s RT and sanctions on top editors of the state-funded news outlet, accusing them of seeking to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Garland chaired the meeting of the DOJ\u2019s Election Threats Task Force in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT\/AFP via Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"43.061871447311\"><body readability=\"88.674790555979\"><\/p>\n<p>The U.S. government formally accused Russia of attempting to interfere<strong> <\/strong>in the 2024 elections, as the Department of Justice unveiled charges Wednesday against multiple individuals and seized dozens of domains they say were part of a wide-ranging campaign to influence American voters.<\/p>\n<p>During a press conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the operations \u201cmake clear the ends to which the Russian government, including at its highest levels, is willing to go to undermine our democratic process.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Two employees of Russia Today, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/d9\/2024-09\/u.s._v._kalashnikov_and_afanasyeva_indictment_0.pdf\">were indicted<\/a> in the Southern District of New York on charges they used foreign shell companies to direct $10 million to an unnamed Tennessee-based company to disseminate Russian disinformation on social media. They also allegedly invented a fictitious private investor to engage U.S.-based social media influencers with large followings to spread similar content.<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ also announced that it had<a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/d9\/2024-09\/doppelganger_affidavit_9.4.24.pdf\"> seized 32 internet domains<\/a> that they claim were part of an effort by top officials close to President Vladimir Putin to use Russian public relations companies, including the Social Design Agency, in order to promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives to sway the 2024 U.S. election.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As part of that effort, operatives from the prolific Russian disinformation group Doppelganger created fake websites and articles using typosquatted web domains to impersonate American news outlets like the Washington Post and Fox News. <\/p>\n<p>In March, the U.S. government<a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/imposing-sanctions-on-actors-supporting-kremlin-directed-disinformation-efforts\/\"> sanctioned<\/a> the Social Design Agency for impersonating legitimate news websites in Europe and false personas online in support of the Russian government\u2019s disinformation operations.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of State also announced it was introducing new visa restrictions for foreign individuals that are found to have engaged in foreign influence operations, designating six individuals in the United States as agents of the Russian government, and offering a $10 million reward for information about ongoing foreign influence operations. <\/p>\n<p>In July, U.S. intelligence officials<a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/us-intel-officials-kremlin-once-again-prefers-trump\/\"> described<\/a> the Russian government as the most active foreign power seeking to influence the 2024 U.S. elections, aiming to support former President Donald Trump\u2019s campaign, sway congressional races, and undermine public confidence in the American electoral system. Officials also said Russia, along with other countries, were increasingly leveraging witting and unwitting Americans and third-party commercial firms to mask their propaganda campaigns. <\/p>\n<p>However, officials have also said these operations aren\u2019t the same level of intensity as 2016. There are no indications thus far that Russian hackers have sought to compromise or disrupt voting machines, election software or other election infrastructure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Also in July, the DOJ seized two U.S.-based domains and nearly 1,000 social media accounts that authorities said were part of a Kremlin-sponsored AI-powered bot farm that targeted audiences in the U.S. and abroad. <\/p>\n<p>The FBI claims that RT played a central role in that operation. According to search warrants, RT led the development of Meliorator, a new AI tool designed to create unique social media personas \u201cen masse,\u201d post content, mimic ordinary social media users, and align their posts with other disinformation accounts and bots, according to a joint advisory.<\/p>\n<p>Leadership at RT approved Meliorator, and less than a year later the project was folded into a new private intelligence organization created by the Russian Federal Security Service and approved by top Kremlin leadership in order to sow discord in the United States, according to court documents.<\/p>\n<p>In response to an emailed request for comment, RT deputy editor-in-chief Anna Belkina sent CyberScoop a series of sarcastic, trolling responses, including that \u201c2016 called and it wants its clich\u00e9s back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.1230283911672\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"13\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Derek B. Johnson\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Derek B. Johnson<\/h4>\n<p> Derek B. Johnson is a reporter at CyberScoop, where his beat includes cybersecurity, elections and the federal government. Prior to that, he has provided award-winning coverage of cybersecurity news across the public and private sectors for various publications since 2017. Derek has a bachelor\u2019s degree in print journalism from Hofstra University in New York and a master\u2019s degree in public policy from George Mason University in Virginia. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 class=\"popular-stories__title\"> More Scoops <\/h2>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest Podcasts\t<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"top-categories\">\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Government<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Technology<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Geopolitics<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/main> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--bottom \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"interstitial\" class=\"welcome__container\"> <button id=\"close-modal-1\" class=\"welcome__clickable_area\"><\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"welcome__ad_wrapper\">\n<p> <button id=\"close-modal-3\" class=\"welcome__continue-button\">Continue to CyberScoop<\/button> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <\/body> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/doj-russia-interfering-us-elections-2024\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Justice Department accuses Russia of interfering with 2024 elections |<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[338,1685,944,292,508,302,1703,270,2591,2592],"tags":[341,1688,946,298,510,306,1707,276,2593,2594],"class_list":["post-5143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department-of-justice-doj","category-disinformation","category-election-interference","category-election-security","category-fsb","category-geopolitics","category-misinformation","category-russia","category-russia-today-rt","category-social-design-agency","tag-department-of-justice-doj","tag-disinformation","tag-election-interference","tag-election-security","tag-fsb","tag-geopolitics","tag-misinformation","tag-russia","tag-russia-today-rt","tag-social-design-agency"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/department-of-justice-doj\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Department of Justice (DOJ)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/disinformation\/\" rel=\"category tag\">disinformation<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/election-interference\/\" rel=\"category tag\">election interference<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/election-security\/\" rel=\"category tag\">election security<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/fsb\/\" rel=\"category tag\">FSB<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/geopolitics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Geopolitics<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/misinformation\/\" rel=\"category tag\">misinformation<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/russia\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Russia<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/russia-today-rt\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Russia Today (RT)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/social-design-agency\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Social Design Agency<\/a>","tag_info":"Social Design Agency","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5143\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":5143,"date":"2024-09-04T14:15:55","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T19:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81638"},"modified":"2024-09-04T14:15:55","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T19:15:55","slug":"justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/09\/04\/justice-department-accuses-russia-of-interfering-with-2024-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Justice Department accuses Russia of interfering with 2024 elections"},"content":{"rendered":"