Pro-Trump blogger admits to posting fake claims about U.S. elections at Russia’s request

CNN reported the information.

A pro-Kremlin propagandist paid an American blogger $100 to post a fake video of Haitian immigrants claiming to be voting in the U.S. presidential election. This payment was one of several he received from a "registered Russian agent" for social media posts leading up to the election.

According to CNN, the pro-Trump blogger, who goes by the handle @AlphaFox78 on X, is an American based in Massachusetts. He agreed to speak to CNN about the posts on the condition of anonymity.

In the fake video, a Haitian immigrant claims he will vote at least twice in Georgia for Vice President Kamala Harris. The Georgia Secretary of State refuted the video, stating that everything in it was fabricated and featured Russian influencer-actors.

The blogger said that Russian propagandist Simeon Boikov, known as AussieCossack, offered him $100 to share the video, and he accepted. A person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN that several payments were indeed sent from Boikov to the Massachusetts-based blogger.

Documents reviewed by CNN reveal that Boikov is a registered foreign agent of Russia in Australia, where he works for Russian state media, writing and publishing content online in both English and Russian.

“The working relationship between AlphaFox and Boikov which has not been previously reported, reveals yet another means in which Russia has attempted to inject disinformation into the 2024 presidential election,” the outlet notes.

• A few hours before the start of voting in the U.S. presidential election on November 5, the U.S. authorities warned of a large-scale disinformation campaign by Russia.