Pro-Trump influencer admits getting paid for sharing fake news video

An American social media influencer has disclosed that he was paid $100 (around ₹8,400) by a pro-Russia agent to post a fake video targeting the US election 2024. This influencer, who uses the handle @AlphaFox78 on X (formerly Twitter), is known for supporting Donald Trump and frequently shares right-wing content. He told CNN, under a condition of anonymity, that he did not fact-check the video’s claims before sharing it.
“I don’t have any idea where it came from or anything – I’m just the guy who shared it,” the man said.
The pro-Trump voter accused Simeon Boikov, a pro-Kremlin podcaster known as “AussieCossack”, of offering him money to post the video. The American voter agreed to it. CNN has confirmed from its sources that the Massachusetts man received money from Boikov through multiple payments.
The video, allegedly produced by Russian operatives, falsely portrayed a Haitian immigrant claiming he would vote twice for Kamala Harris in Georgia. When the video surfaced, the Georgia Secretary of State confirmed it was entirely staged, including fake ID cards and actors.
As per AlphaFox, Boikov operates from Australia. The US man admitted to accepting similar payments for sharing memes and videos on previous occasions although he claimed he had been unaware of Boikov’s Russian state ties.
AlphaFox says he now regrets sharing the content, stating that he feels tricked. He has urged others to be cautious when sharing online posts. He removed the video, but variations of it continue circulating on social media, forcing election officials to address the misinformation.
Boikov, now a registered Russian agent, has allegedly orchestrated several disinformation campaigns as part of Russia’s influence network, CNN reported.
“Storm-1516” targets the US Election 2024. According to disinformation expert Darren Linvill, the scheme involves using popular social media influencers to spread misleading narratives. People’s trust in influencers is now a powerful tool in spreading such propaganda, Linvill added.