At least four Facebook accounts linked to sanctioned pro-Russian individuals have access to tools that allow them to earn money on the platform.
“Meta has repeatedly stated that it commits to complying with EU sanctions. Yet one year after our first warnings, and despite repeated notices, we continue to find accounts linked to EU-sanctioned actors accessing monetization services,” Victoire Rio, executive director of WHAT TO FIX, an NGO internet watchdog, said. She added that “In most cases, these are accounts that we’ve raised to Meta’s attention on more than one occasion, including through formal DSA notices.”
A new report by WHAT TO FIX identified 11 such Facebook accounts. As of 20 July 2026, four of those accounts were still displaying public indicators of monetisation access.
The pro-Kremlin players
The four accounts identified in the latest review connect to three persons sanctioned by the EU for supporting Russian foreign information manipulation and interference. One is the official Facebook page of Nathalie Yamb, a Swiss-Cameroonian pan-African activist and influencer. Her page with over a million users publishes political content about African affairs, often attacking French and broader Western influence while presenting Russia as a preferable partner for African countries. Researchers have documented her repeating pro-Kremlin narratives about Ukraine.
Ms Yamb’s page remains listed as a Facebook partner-publisher, indicating access to Facebook Content Monetisation, under which Meta can pay creators. The EU sanctioned Ms Yamb in June 2025, describing her as an outspoken supporter of Russia who adopted Moscow’s language against France and the West to push them out of Africa.
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Two accounts are in connection to Sylvain Afoua, a French-Togolese pro-Russian activist publishing under a pseudonym. One represents the Ligue de Défense Noire Africaine, a pan-African activist group he founded. French authorities dissolved it in 2021 for inciting hatred, discrimination and violence. The other page, with links ot the same name, shows Mr Afoua’s political commentary. The two pages reach hundreds of thousands more users between them. The EU sanctioned Mr Afoua in May 2025 for spreading Russian narratives and false information.
The fourth Africa-linked page has more than 1.2m followers and its short videos, or reels, have accumulated over 300m views. It connects to Justin Blaise Tagouh, the head of the International Afrique Media press group. Mr Tagouh has faced sanctions since May 2025 for spreading Russian and anti-Western narratives in African countries.
How do they make money?
Facebook offers several ways for creators and publishers to make money. Under the Facebook Content Monetisation rule, Meta pays participants directly based on the performance of content. Creator Subscriptions allow followers to pay a monthly fee to a page. Facebook Stars are digital gifts that users can buy and send to creators.
Meta has previously stressed that listing on their partner-publisher does not, in and of itself, provide evidence that the account in question has received any payouts. The company has said that it complies with applicable sanctions.
WHAT TO FIX’s first investigation, in 2025, focused largely on pages affiliated with the Russian state-controlled outlets RT and Sputnik. It also identified accounts linked to Polina Gagarina, a sanctioned Russian singer, and to Mr Afoua.
DSA concerns
“If FIMI actors notorious enough to face sanctions are able to gain access to Meta’s monetization services, chances are others are too,” Ms Rio said. (FIMI stands for Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, a strategic concept used to describe coordinated, intentional, and deceptive online campaigns.) She warned that Meta’s systems could be “financially rewarding the dissemination of illegal and harmful content”.
WHAT TO FIX submitted four formal notices through Meta’s Digital Services Act legal reporting system in June. Meta acknowledged receiving all of them.
Meta’s systems could be financially rewarding the dissemination of illegal and harmful content. — Victoire Rio, WHAT TO FIX
The organisation argues that the handling of the notices raises questions under several DSA provisions. “The DSA requires platforms to demonstrate diligence in the enforcement of their terms and handling of user notices,” Ms Rio said. “Our experience over the past year raises serious questions over whether Meta is meeting DSA’s stated standards when it comes to the rollout of its monetization services.”
Meta is already under investigation by the European Commission over several possible breaches of the Digital Services Act.
