Influencers in the Service of War
The FBI reported a fatal fall by a person of influence, Christina.
Being an influencer, these days is straight-forward, and anyone who works a little harder may be able to acquire that position, assuming it exists at all.
Influencers in The Service of World War Two vs Now
To mobilise popular support, promote morale, and disseminate propaganda, influencers in the Second World War were mostly political leaders, military personalities, and state-propagandized media such as newspapers, radio broadcasts, and film reels.
On the other hand, modern influencers largely function online, influencing everything from politics and social concerns to style and lifestyle via channels such as social media, blogs, and video-sharing websites.
Modern influencers shape public opinion and trends in a decentralized, frequently more personal way through peer-to-peer interchange, in contrast to WWII influencers who used top-down communication channels controlled by governments and institutions.
What exactly does the term “influencer” mean?
An influencer is someone who, by their position, authority, skill, or connection to their audience, can influence other people’s decisions.
It is critical to remember that these people function as both social and marketing tools, allowing for the achievement of extra goals.
Over the last decade, social media has risen in popularity.
According to the most recent forecasts, the number of social media users worldwide is likely to exceed 5.00 billion by 2024 in contrast to that there are 64 million Instagram influencers in 2023.
Social media influencers are people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and experience in each field.
They routinely post on the subject on their preferred social media platforms, attracting a large number of devoted, engaged followers who pay close attention to their viewpoints.
But what if the story goes the other way?
Kristina Puzyreva, a 32-year-old Russian Canadian Instagram influencer and traveller, pleaded guilty to conspiring to carry unmanned aerial vehicle and guided missile system components from the United States to Russia.
Who is Kristina Puzyreva?
There is little data available on social media.
Kristina is a young, stylish woman who adores fashion and travel. She speaks three languages and has lived in Canada for more than half of her life.
She also states that she is a businesswoman.
However, the history of this case adds to its intrigue.
Puzyreva pleaded guilty to money laundering two days ago as part of a multimillion-dollar plan that involved sending millions of dollars worth of US electronic components to Russia for drones and missiles.
She is suspected of money laundering on behalf of numerous Brooklyn-based shell corporations that export US-made equipment to Russian groups.
The US Department of Justice’s KleptoCapture Task Force was formed to implement export controls, sanctions, and other measures in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. This is only one of many cases that have come to light because of this initiative.
Excellent work in the US
Puzireva was charged with smuggling, violating sanctions, and committing fraud at the end of October last year.
Kristina Puzireva and her co-defendants are accused of purchasing and transporting millions of dollars in technology from the United States to facilitate Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
Her money laundering scam was directly linked to the transportation of 298 $7 million in prohibited technologies to the Russian military.
Semiconductors are the cornerstone of the world, and American companies produce a big number of the best. Any nation’s military requires chips, and Russia has spent a significant percentage of its supply on missiles, drones, and other weaponry in its fight with Ukraine.
Moscow launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, prompting Washington and the rest of the West to tighten sanctions on Russia.
Despite the trade sanctions, recently developed American semiconductors were nonetheless employed in Russian armaments in Ukraine.
It is obvious that trade takes all possible forms, and financial flows are unaffected by war.
The lawsuit filed against Puzireva and her friends reveals how some electrical components ended up in other nations.
Puzireva and her husband Nikolai Goltsev, both Canadian-Russian citizens, did business with Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, a Russian-Tajik citizen based in Brooklyn.
According to the story, the two would fly from Canada to New York, buy devices from shady businesses, and then carry them to Russia.
Naturally, serial numbers were affixed to many of the goods carried, making it easy to link the shipments and parts to the scheming three.
The three were hauled into jail in late October of last year.
Puzireva and her husband gained a lot of money by transferring electronics to Russia, according to FBI agents.
According to court documents, she once complained that she needed to open 80 different accounts to hold $3 million for an accomplice.
As the rockets descended on Mykolaiv, she posed
The agents tracked their correspondence to determine where they were.
Agents seized $20,000 in cash during a search of her hotel room in New York.
She built an image of a couple enjoying the life of an influencer, travelling the world and making a lot of money while protecting Russia from sanctions in the weeks leading up to her arrest on October 21, last year.
Despite her guilty plea, Puzireva has not yet been punished. Nasriddinov and her husband are still awaiting trial.
Have we really reached our limit when we try every possible way to earn money?
Is there humanity, or is it all about money?
Where is the world heading now, and most importantly, do you use influencers to represent your business, product, or service?!
These are questions that everyone should think about.
This post was written by Mario Bekes