US sanctions Russian, Iranian groups for AI-driven election disinformation
The US Treasury Department sanctioned Russian and Iranian organizations on December 31, 2024, for using AI-generated content and deepfakes to interfere in the 2024 presidential election. The Russian group, linked to military intelligence, targeted a vice-presidential candidate with false images, while the Iranian group conducted influence operations to undermine public trust in elections.
What happened
The US Treasury Department sanctioned the Center for Geopolitical Expertise, linked to Russian military intelligence (GRU), and the Cognitive Design Production Center, affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, on December 31, 2024.
The Center for Geopolitical Expertise, based in Moscow and founded by Aleksandr Dugin, set up servers for AI-generated tools and maintained hundreds of websites used for disinformation campaigns while receiving GRU funding and coordination. The center targeted a specific vice-presidential candidate by using AI-generated tools to manipulate false images and make baseless accusations, rapidly spreading them on social media and fake news websites.
The Cognitive Design Production Center, an IRGC affiliate, conducted influence operations since at least 2023 to interfere in the US election, using generative AI and deepfake technology to create and spread false information rapidly, including through websites mimicking Western news outlets.
Reported impact
The sanctioned organizations aimed to incite sociopolitical tension and influence American voters during the 2024 election, with operations coordinated between GRU officers and the Center for Geopolitical Expertise.
US intelligence indicated the groups sought to undermine public trust in elections and democratic institutions through the spread of false information.
Index analysis
The Center for Geopolitical Expertise deployed AI tools to generate deepfake images targeting a US vice-presidential candidate with unfounded accusations, distributing them through social media and fake news websites.
Both organizations used generative AI and deepfake technology to rapidly produce and spread disinformation designed to manipulate American voters and sow division.
Governance controls
The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions freezing all US assets of the designated organizations and individuals, prohibiting US companies and individuals from conducting transactions with them.
Assets directly or indirectly owned by the sanctioned entities at 50 percent or above were subject to seizure.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.