Tag

Fara

All articles tagged with #fara

world9 hours ago•10 min saved

Fake Israeli-backed thinktank used AI tactics to steer chatbots

A Guardian-reported investigation reveals a non-existent Hanover Institute for Public Policy funded by the Israeli government and routed through Piro Inc., Havas Media and Israel’s LaPam to publish hundreds of thousands of words in nine days. The material, designed to look like neutral research, is intended to influence AI chatbots by optimizing content for citations, raising concerns about training-data poisoning and the potential for bots to repeat biased narratives. The Hanover Institute appears to have no verifiable existence, and its disclosures point to foreign-agent registrations under FARA. While Israel disputes conducting influence operations, analysts warn such campaigns could shape AI outputs and public diplomacy in ways that are hard to fact-check, especially as US opinion shifts on Israel’s actions in Gaza.

via The Guardian|

#ai #fara #hasbara

politics3 months ago•7 min saved

American journalist faces federal charge for acting as China’s unregistered agent

An American journalist living in China, Thomas Pauken II, was charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government without registering with the U.S. attorney general. Prosecutors say he prepared confidential reports for a Chinese handler who claimed they would pass them to Xi Jinping and even arranged a contact with a U.S. official that Pauken hoped would relay information to China, offering a $10,000 bonus for reports. Pauken was arrested in February; a pre-indictment plea hearing is scheduled. DOJ officials say the case centers on work for a foreign government without proper paperwork rather than spying. Pauken writes under the pseudonym Tom McGregor and is the son of GOP figure Tom Pauken; he allegedly used his Chinese contacts to pursue information and avoided disclosing his activities, with the FBI monitoring key meetings after his return to the U.S. The government has charged one felony count under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which carries up to 10 years in prison.

via Politico|

#china #fara #fbi

politics3 months ago•11 min saved

Arcadia Mayor Linked to Chinese Influence, Plea Reveals

Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang admitted in a plea to helping publish content directed by Chinese officials and running a pro-China news site without disclosing ties, amid scrutiny of her former campaign adviser who pleaded guilty as a Chinese agent. Experts say she’s more an “agent of influence” than a traditional spy; the case, along with Sun’s and a PRC official’s pleas, underscores ongoing Foreign Agents Registration Act enforcement and fuels debate over foreign influence in U.S. local politics.

via Los Angeles Times|

#arcadia #china #eileen-wang

crime3 months ago•3 min saved

Ex-Congressman and Lobbyist Convicted of Secret Venezuela Lobbying and $50M Laundering Scheme

A Miami federal jury found former U.S. Representative David Rivera and associate Esther Nuhfer guilty of secretly lobbying for Venezuela without registering under FARA and of money-laundering tied to a $50 million contract with PDVSA. They allegedly used coded messages, moved contract proceeds to fund Rivera’s campaign and Nuhfer’s residence, and conspired to obscure the foreign influence. Rivera faces up to 60 years; Nuhfer up to 30, with sentencing to follow.

via Department of Justice (.gov)|

#crime #fara #lobbying

politicslaw2 years ago•2 min saved

"Ex-Trump Associates to Plead Guilty to Concealed Foreign Lobbying Charges"

The Justice Department has charged political consultants Barry P. Bennett and Douglas Watts with providing false information about their lobbying efforts for Qatar during the Trump administration. Bennett, a former Trump campaign adviser, led a covert campaign to advance Qatari interests and denigrate a rival nation through a company called Yemen Crisis Watch, which was not disclosed in FARA filings. Both consultants have reached deferred prosecution agreements, with Bennett agreeing to pay a $100,000 fine. The case is part of broader investigations into Qatar's influence campaign during the Trump era.

via Yahoo News|

##fara #foreignlobbying

politicslegal2 years ago•2 min saved

"Former Trump Associates Plead Guilty to Illegal Foreign Lobbying Activities"

Two GOP operatives, Barry Bennett and Douglas Watts, are set to admit to attempting to circumvent foreign lobbying laws, with a focus on their undisclosed activities on behalf of Qatar. Instead of pleading guilty, they will enter deferred prosecution agreements, admitting their conduct, paying fines, and potentially having charges removed after a year. The case is part of a broader Justice Department initiative to enforce the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) more rigorously.

via The Washington Post|

##deferredprosecutionagreement #fara

legalcriminal-justice3 years ago•2 min saved

DOJ Drops Case Against Michael Flynn's Business Partner

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is dropping its criminal case against Bijan Rafiekian, a former business partner of Michael Flynn, who was accused of illegally lobbying for the Turkish government. Rafiekian was previously convicted but had his conviction overturned and was granted a new trial. However, a recent decision by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals criticized the approval of a new trial. The DOJ now believes it is not in the public interest to pursue the case further. Rafiekian was accused of conspiring to influence U.S. politicians against Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen. Flynn, who admitted to making false statements in Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings, was expected to testify but withdrew from the trial.

via The Hill|

#bijan-rafiekian #doj #fara

politics3 years ago•5 min saved

"Republican Lawmakers Target Environmentalists with FARA Legislation"

GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz and House Oversight Chair James Comer, are urging the Department of Justice to investigate whether certain environmental rights groups are violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). They claim that these groups may be acting as foreign agents without registering with the DOJ. This move is part of a broader effort by Republicans to link environmental organizations to foreign adversaries. Nonprofits have expressed concerns about the DOJ's interpretation of FARA, as it could potentially label them as foreign agents. The DOJ has received the lawmakers' letter but has not commented further.

via POLITICO|

#department-of-justice #environmentalists #fara

politics3 years ago•5 min saved

Biden aides silent as DOJ charges whistleblower who accused family of corruption

The White House declined to comment on the potential legal implications for President Biden, Hunter Biden, and James Biden after a US citizen was charged for working as an unregistered agent of the same Chinese firm that paid the Biden family. The individual, Gal Luft, allegedly violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by accepting money from CEFC China Energy in exchange for hosting conferences and attempting to influence a 2016 Trump campaign adviser. CEFC had provided the Biden family with a significant foreign income stream, and both congressional Republicans and legal experts believe Hunter Biden likely violated FARA by failing to register as an agent of CEFC and other foreign employers. The investigation into the Biden family's business dealings in China is ongoing.

via New York Post |

#biden-family #cefc #china