Alexey Navalny pulls a fast one on a pro-Kremlin tabloid, winning 10,000 rubles for his presidential campaign

In late July, opposition politician Alexey Navalny traveled to France to celebrate his wife’s birthday. In early August, the pro-Kremlin tabloid Life reported Navalny’s trip, publishing footage from his visit to Western Europe.

Life says it received the video from a “citizen journalist” through its special app “LifeCorr,” which it created to receive photos and videos from eyewitnesses to news events. Life had promised 50,000 rubles ($840) to anyone who supplied the tabloid with footage of Navalny on vacation.

After receiving the video of Navalny in France, Life published a story titled “Michelin Escapades: How Navalny Vacationed in Rouen,” crediting the footage to a “citizen journalist.”

It turns out that the citizen journalist was none other than Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s own wife.

Navalny says he saw the reward offer posted on LifeCorr while he was in France and convinced his wife to film him walking around Rouen. Life shortened the video the Navalnys sent in, redacting a final bit where Yulia can be heard asking him, “Alexey, what are you doing here?” Navalny then responds, “I’m here trying to make 50,000 rubles off those fools at LifeNews.”

Navalny says he sent the video to Kira Yarmysh, his press secretary, who then passed it onto another team member, who finally shared it with LifeCorr.

In the end, Life appears to have reneged on its prize offer, paying Navalny just 10,000 rubles ($170) for the video — not the promised 50,000. Navalny says he transferred the money to his campaign.