Report Reveals Dark Money Group Secretly Funded Liberal Influencers

A new investigation has revealed that a liberal nonprofit group has been quietly funding a network of high-profile Democratic influencers on social media. According to a report from Wired, the Sixteen Thirty Fund is backing a program called the Chorus Creator Incubator, which pays influencers as much as $8,000 per month to promote Democratic messaging to their audiences.

The Wired report states that participants in the program are bound by strict rules requiring them to conceal both their funding sources and their involvement. Contracts obtained by the outlet show that Chorus, which manages the initiative, limits what creators can say publicly, routes political interactions through its own channels, and imposes non-disclosure agreements. Critics argue that these measures obscure the true origins of the political content reaching millions of online followers.

Chorus reportedly oversees a roster of more than 90 creators with significant reach across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. While some creators privately expressed frustration with the restrictions, others defended the program as a way to support digital advocacy in a competitive and costly media landscape.

Campaign finance experts told Wired that the arrangement raises ethical and legal questions about disclosure and transparency. Federal Election Commission rules require certain political spending to be reported, and some experts believe the structure of the Chorus program may test the boundaries of those requirements.

The Sixteen Thirty Fund has long been a major player in Democratic politics, funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into causes and campaigns through its network of groups. The revelation that it is also underwriting digital influencers highlights the growing importance of online personalities in shaping political narratives ahead of upcoming elections.

Read the full Wired report here: A Dark Money Group Is Secretly Funding High-Profile Democratic Influencers