i think they are talking about of rubles invested and not the percentage of the company, 5% would be a hell of a pile
Posted on 11/06/2017 5:29:48 PM PST by ForYourChildren
The Russian government quietly held a financial interest in U.S. social media.
A major investor in Twitter and Facebook had financial ties to two Russian government-owned firms known as vehicles for the Kremlin’s politically sensitive dealings, newly unearthed documents show.
The records show that one of the Kremlin-owned firms, VTB Bank, quietly directed $191 million into an investment fund, DST Global, that used the money to buy a large stake in Twitter in 2011. They also show that a subsidiary of the Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom heavily funded an offshore company that partnered with DST Global in a large investment in Facebook.
DST Global’s founder, Russian billionaire Yuri Milner, and other partners in the deals reaped large gains when they sold their stakes shortly after Facebook’s initial public offering in 2012 and Twitter’s in 2013.
There is no indication that the Kremlin gained influence over Twitter or Facebook or received inside information about the firms as a result of investments associated with Milner. But the disclosure shows that years before Russia meddled in last year’s U.S. presidential election, the Kremlin had a financial interest in American social media.
These revelations come at a time when Congress is investigating the U.S. tech giants’ role in the spread of Russian disinformation during Donald Trump’s successful campaign for the White House.
It’s public knowledge that Milner put together large investments in Twitter and Facebook. The Russian government’s ties to the investments were not previously known.
Facebook and Twitter said they had properly reviewed Milner’s investments.
The details of the Kremlin’s links to the deals were uncovered during a joint investigation, by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, The New York Times, the BBC and other media partners.
{..snip..}
(Excerpt) Read more at icij.org ...
When is H->! going to denounce the support given to her from the CPUSA?
Mueller Knew...
“Whatever the Kremlin wants, VTB is ready to do.”
—Sergey Aleksashenk, served on VTB’s board of directors
VTB Banks are Kremlin-owned firms, and for example, bought a large stake in Twitter in 2011.
5% is not large.
And I seem to recall a plan to have voting and non-voting shares at Facebook or something. Don’t want the companies run by outside rabble rousers.
DST Global’s founder, Russian billionaire Yuri Milner, befriended Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. And also with Kanton Services’ Russian government money, invested in Facebook.
Recall the Chi-Coms direct contributions to Clinton-Gore and the technology secrets released to China.
When the Democrats were caught, they gave the money back after the election (it was an effective loan, they won didn’t they?) and no one went to prison.
It would be interesting to learn just who does own twitter. All these years and it still doesn’t turn a profit.
i think they are talking about of rubles invested and not the percentage of the company, 5% would be a hell of a pile
Imagine that Russians investing in propaganda organs....
Why it is the Fusion of Propaganda, Payola, Privilege, and Pussy wrapped up like a burrito and marketed as “Journalism.”
8% of Facebook
5% of twitter
The Russian government has deep pockets.
Then again consider how much of our media is partially owned by the Saudis and they do squash news and fictional drama plots.
The Kremlin invested ‘hundreds of millions’ in Twitter and Facebook through Kushner associate Yuri Milner
Sonam Sheth
Nov. 5, 2017, 6:47 PM
Milner sold his holdings in both companies years ago and has no apparent connection to Russia’s propaganda campaign that took place during the 2016 election.
...Newly-leaked documents show that the Kremlin invested hundreds of millions of dollars into Twitter and Facebook through a business associate of President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
According to the “Paradise Papers” — a trove of more than 13 million internal documents released Sunday that show how the world’s wealthiest use offshore tax havens — two Russian state-owned entities with close ties to Vladimir Putin invested money into Facebook and Twitter through the Russian-American tech investor Yuri Milner.
Milner currently holds a stake in a real-estate project that was founded and is partially owned by Kushner. When Kushner first joined the Trump administration, he failed to disclose his holdings in the project.
Russia’s state-owned VTB Bank gave Milner $191 million to invest in Twitter, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which obtained the Paradise Papers. The bank, according to The New York Times, frequently embarks on “politically strategic deals.”
...When all was said and done, Milner owned roughly 8% of Facebook and 5% of Twitter, according to The Times. He sold his holdings in both social-media companies years ago, and there is no evidence that he was connected to Russia’s widespread propaganda campaign on the two platforms during the 2016 election...
Social Media has Colluded with the Russians ?!
I’m shocked.../sarc
And then there’s the MSM ... Hmmmm
thas alot of rubles
So now we don’t want foreign investment in US? What about the Saudi investment in energy and media? What about the Chinese investments in high tech and real estate? What about Mexican investment in nyt and washington compost?
“So now we don’t want foreign investment in US? What about the Saudi investment in energy and media? What about the Chinese investments in high tech and real estate? What about Mexican investment in nyt and washington compost?”
Good point.
Let the Russians invest in Uranium One. What could go wrong.
bmp
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