Tens of millions of dollars have been funneled to U.S. anti-fracking environmentalist groups by a Bermudan company with ties to top Russian officials, according to a report by the Environmental Policy Alliance.
"With oil prices plunging as a result of a fracking-induced oil glut in the United States, experts say the links between Russian oil interests, secretive foreign political donors, and high-profile American environmentalists suggest Russia may be backing anti-fracking efforts in the United States," the Washington Free Beacon reported.
The investigation notes one company of particular interest - Klein Ltd - which appears to only exist on paper.
"No one knows where that firm's money comes from," the Beacon wrote.
The only publicly available activities found by the EPA were the transfers of $23 million over two years to the Sea Change Foundation, which then doled out the money to various environmental groups around the country.
Organizations on the receiving end of Sea Change grants include the Sierra Club, the Natural Resource Defense Council, Food and Water Watch, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Center for American Progress.
Klein is run by executives with deep ties not only to Russian oil companies, but also to money laundering schemes involving members of Russian President Valdimir Putin's inner circle, according to the report.
"The evidence as outlined above raises serious questions about the potential for high-level Russian oil and political interests funding attacks on U.S. energy development by the American environmental movement in an effort to diminish international competition for oil production and protect Russian energy interests," the report states.
As Breitbart highlighted, this wouldn't be the first time Russia has been accused of working to undermine a fracking industry which is likely harming Russia's own oil exports.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former head of NATO, said he can attest to the claims that Russia is working with so-called green organizations to discredit the fracking industry.
"I have met allies who can report that Russia, as part of their sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called non-governmental organizations - environmental organizations working against shale gas - to maintain European dependence on imported Russian gas."
