The U.S. Treasury has taken a significant step in combating disinformation campaigns linked to Russian and Iranian intelligence in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections. This move comes as a response to the increasing use of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, by malicious actors to spread false information and influence public opinion.
One of the entities sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury is Moscow’s Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), which is known for its ties to Aleksandr Dugin, who has been designated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). CGE, supported by the GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency, utilized AI tools to create and disseminate disinformation through fake news websites. This included the creation of deepfake videos and funding operations aimed at influencing the outcome of the 2024 U.S. election.
According to the announcement by the U.S. Treasury, CGE personnel worked in collaboration with a GRU unit responsible for sabotage, political interference operations, and cyberwarfare targeting the West. The GRU provided financial support to CGE, enabling the organization to use generative AI tools to rapidly produce and distribute false information across a vast network of websites designed to mimic legitimate news outlets. This strategy aimed to create false corroboration between stories and obscure their Russian origin.
Additionally, the GRU funded a network of U.S.-based facilitators who were tasked with maintaining the AI-support server and a network of at least 100 websites used in CGE’s disinformation operations. The Russian military intelligence agency also covered the rent cost of the apartment where the server was located. Korovin, the director of CGE, facilitated the GRU’s financial support to his employees and U.S.-based facilitators.
In a concerning development, CGE manipulated a video to make baseless accusations against a 2024 vice presidential candidate in an attempt to sow discord among the U.S. electorate. This further underscores the scale and impact of the disinformation efforts orchestrated by Russian intelligence ahead of the presidential elections.
Additionally, the U.S. government sanctioned The Cognitive Design Production Center (CDPC), a subsidiary of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran, for planning influence operations to stoke socio-political tensions in the run-up to the 2024 U.S. elections. CDPC’s activities were aimed at inciting discord among the American electorate on behalf of the IRGC.
As a result of the sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury, the assets and interests of the sanctioned entities and individuals in the U.S. are frozen. U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, and financial institutions could face sanctions for certain activities. Non-U.S. persons are also barred from causing U.S. persons to violate these sanctions.
The actions taken by the U.S. Treasury highlight the growing threat posed by state-sponsored disinformation campaigns and the use of advanced technologies to manipulate public opinion. With the 2024 presidential elections on the horizon, it is crucial for governments and tech companies to remain vigilant in detecting and countering these malicious activities to uphold the integrity of democratic processes.