US Imposes New Sanctions Targeting Russian Troll Farm

Washington has imposed sanctions on several entities and people associated with the Internet Research Agency and its financier, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in connection with Russian interference in U.S. elections.”In renewed action, the Treasury Department is increasing its pressure against Yevgeny Prigozhin by not only calling out his support for the Internet Research Agency in connection with its efforts to interfere in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, but also identifying his personal property, including several private jets and a yacht,” the Treasury Department said in a statement on Monday.FILE – A business center building known as the “troll factory,” an Internet Research Agency, a web of company allegedly controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has reported ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in St. Petersburg, Russia.The Internet Research Agency, a St. Petersburg-based organization known as the Russian “troll farm” owned by the Kremlin-connected businessman, was also mentioned repeatedly by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.In February 2018, the Justice Department indicted the Internet Research Agency and two other companies controlled by Prigozhin — Concord Management and Concord Catering — as well as Prigozhin himself and 15 other Russian individuals for alleged fraud “for the purpose of interfering with the U.S. political and electoral processes, including the presidential election of 2016.”Prigozhin, who is sometimes called “Putin’s chef” because of his catering businesses, also controls the Vagner private security firm, which has sent Russian mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, Syria, and several African countries.In 2016, Washington slapped personal sanctions on Prigozhin in connection with his support of Moscow’s 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea. In June 2017, sanctions were imposed on Concord Management for its alleged involvement in the Russia-backed war in parts of eastern Ukraine.The Sept. 30 Treasury Department statement emphasized that the activities of Prigozhin and the Internet Research Agency did not compromise the legitimacy of the 2018 elections.The new sanctions cover three legal entities registered in the Seychelles and six Russian citizens believed to have ties to the Internet Research Agency.The Treasury statement identified three private jets and a yacht as being registered to entities tied to Prigozhin. The statement warns that companies providing services to them could themselves be liable to sanctions.”Treasury is targeting the private planes, yacht, and associated front companies of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian financier behind the Internet Research Agency and its attempts to subvert American democratic processes,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.”Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of American democracy, and we will use our authorities against anyone seeking to undermine our processes and subversively influence voters.”
…