US Sanctions Russian Entity for AI-Powered Disinformation Campaign Targeting 2024 Election
Washington, D.C. – The United States has imposed sanctions against a Russian state-affiliated organization for orchestrating a sophisticated disinformation campaign targeting the 2024 US Presidential election. The Treasury Department identified the Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), based in Moscow, as the perpetrator of this operation, leveraging advanced generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies, including deepfakes, to spread misinformation and sow discord among the American electorate.
The CGE’s activities were directed and financed by Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), with a GRU officer and a CGE affiliate overseeing the campaign under the leadership of CGE Director Valery Mikhaylovich Korovin. The GRU provided the CGE with crucial resources, including a network of US-based facilitators responsible for building and maintaining an AI-powered server and managing a vast network of over 100 websites used to disseminate disinformation.
This intricate infrastructure enabled the CGE to rapidly generate and distribute disinformation through a network of websites mimicking legitimate news outlets. This strategy aimed to create an illusion of corroboration among various sources while obscuring the Russian origins of the fabricated content. By establishing this system within the US, the operation circumvented foreign web-hosting services that might have detected and blocked their malicious activities. The use of domestic servers provided a layer of obfuscation, making it more difficult to trace the disinformation back to its Russian source. The scale of the operation, involving over 100 websites, highlights the significant investment of resources and the intent to reach a wide audience.
Furthermore, the CGE exploited deepfake technology to manipulate videos and fabricate accusations against a 2024 presidential candidate, aiming to escalate tensions and deepen divisions within the American electorate. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated both the CGE and Korovin for sanctions, effectively freezing any assets they hold within the US and prohibiting any transactions involving them. This action underscores the US government’s commitment to combating foreign interference in its democratic processes.
This action follows other recent US sanctions against foreign actors engaging in destabilizing activities. The European Union has also taken action against Russian cyber actors for their disruptive actions. Additionally, the US has sanctioned an Iranian group for inciting tensions within the United States. These concurrent sanctions highlight a growing international concern about foreign interference in domestic political processes.
In a parallel development, the OFAC also sanctioned the Cognitive Design Production Center (CDPC), an entity linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), for conducting influence operations intended to inflame socio-political tensions in the US during the 2024 election cycle. This revelation comes on the heels of reports regarding Iranian interference in the 2024 presidential election. In August 2024, Microsoft uncovered four distinct influence operations orchestrated by actors affiliated with Iran, aiming to amplify divisive issues within the US, including racial tensions, economic disparities, and gender-related concerns. These operations leveraged social media platforms and online forums to spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion. Furthermore, the US government accused Iran of hacking a website belonging to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in the same month.
These actions underscore the multifaceted nature of foreign interference in democratic processes, employing both sophisticated technological tools like AI and deepfakes, as well as more traditional methods like hacking and online influence operations. Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, emphasized the US government’s commitment to safeguarding its democratic processes from foreign adversaries. "The Governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns," stated Smith. "The US will remain vigilant against adversaries who would undermine our democracy." This statement reflects a growing determination among democratic nations to confront and counter foreign interference in their internal affairs. The use of sanctions demonstrates a willingness to employ economic measures to deter such activities and hold perpetrators accountable.