A prominent leftist influencer could face serious legal consequences after a State Department official accused him of claiming that he donated money to a newly designated terrorist organization. Brian Krassenstein allegedly posted “Donated thanks” after encouraging his followers to support Autistici/Inventati, an Italy-based far-left collective sanctioned by the United States. Krassenstein has since denied making a donation, and no charges have been filed against him.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday, August 26th, shortly after the Trump administration announced sanctions against Autistici/Inventati, also called the A/I Collective. Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson publicly confronted Krassenstein over a screenshot of an allegedly deleted X post. Johnson also warned that transferring funds to a designated organization can carry severe criminal penalties.
The screenshot shared by Johnson appeared to show Krassenstein posting the words, “Donated thanks.” Johnson asked, “Why did @krassenstein tweet (and then delete) that he donated to a designated terrorist organization?” The post didn’t specify how much money had allegedly been donated or provide proof of a completed transaction.
The Daily Caller reported that it could not independently verify the authenticity of the screenshot. The outlet also noted that Johnson did not provide the context for Krassenstein’s alleged post. Johnson nevertheless pointed to another post in which Krassenstein reportedly encouraged his followers to donate to the organization and advised them to consult an attorney before following his advice.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Autistici/Inventati under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those who provide them with support. Treasury described the group as an Italy-based organization that supplies website hosting, encrypted email, conferencing tools, and other digital infrastructure to violent far-left extremists.
The department said its services have been provided to groups including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. A State Department fact sheet also said an extremist media group used A/I’s services to publish official communiqués and calls to action for designated terrorist organizations including Hamas, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Treasury said Autistici/Inventati was designated for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, technological, or other support connected to terrorism. The designation generally blocks the organization’s property under American jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from providing it with money, goods, or services without authorization. Under federal law, a person convicted of willfully violating sanctions imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act can face a fine of up to $1 million, imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the new sanctions as part of the administration’s campaign against transnational far-left terrorism. “Far-left terrorism poses a profound threat to the United States and the broader West,” Rubio wrote. He added that violent extremists who attack infrastructure, target political opponents, or help conceal crimes from authorities would find “no refuge” under the administration’s policy.
Krassenstein later denied that he had donated to Autistici/Inventati. In a response to Johnson, he said he would donate once the designation was removed because he believed the sanctions would eventually be lifted. After deleting a separate post that encouraged his followers to contribute, Krassenstein reportedly told them to wait until the organization was removed from the sanctions list “and then donate double.”