The United Arab Emirates paid more than $6 million to a US reputation management firm to suppress damaging online coverage about Emirati Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al Otaiba, according to investigations cited by multiple media outlets on Sunday. The reports said the campaign aimed to push negative articles lower in Google search results and improve the ambassador’s public image in the United States.
According to reporting that cited a New York Times investigation, the New York-based reputation management company Terakeet worked for the UAE government beginning in 2019. The campaign allegedly focused on burying a 2017 article published by The Intercept that linked Al Otaiba to sex workers and traffickers.
The New York Times investigation said Terakeet created positive online content about Al Otaiba to overwhelm search engine results connected to the allegations. According to Türkiye Today, the firm built personal websites, online biographies, and institutional profiles that emphasized the ambassador’s diplomatic work and leadership record.
The reports said Terakeet employees distributed favorable profiles to organizations associated with Al Otaiba, including the Milken Institute, Special Olympics, and Harvard Kennedy School. According to the New York Times investigation, the company also allegedly edited Al Otaiba’s Wikipedia page using anonymous accounts later suspended by Wikipedia administrators.
“The purpose of the operation was clear: to create enough favorable and differentiated content about the UAE ambassador to force damaging reporting lower down in Google search results,” the investigation stated, according to Middle East Monitor.
According to Anadolu Agency reporting cited by US Muslims, Terakeet’s campaign succeeded by 2023, when the original Intercept article reportedly moved from the first page of Google results to later pages. The report said the article now appears much lower in online searches for most users.
Al Otaiba declined detailed public comment on the allegations but confirmed that Terakeet had conducted work for the UAE, according to Türkiye Today.
The UAE government has not publicly denied the existence of the reputation management contract. Reuters has not independently verified the financial figures or the operational details described in the reports.
The allegations renewed scrutiny of Al Otaiba, one of the Gulf region’s most influential diplomats in Washington. He has played a central role in UAE-US relations for more than a decade and has frequently represented Abu Dhabi on regional security and foreign policy issues.
Previous controversies involving leaked emails and lobbying efforts have also drawn international attention. In 2017, Al Jazeera reported that hacked emails from Al Otaiba’s account revealed close cooperation between UAE officials and US think tanks on regional policy matters involving Qatar and Iran.
In another report, The Guardian cited a US intelligence assessment stating that the UAE had spent years attempting to shape American policy through lobbying, political influence campaigns, and financial relationships with US institutions.
The current allegations may increase pressure on foreign lobbying and digital reputation management practices in Washington, where Gulf states have invested heavily in political influence operations. According to public Foreign Agents Registration Act filings referenced in the reports, Terakeet’s work for the UAE began in July 2019 and continued through at least 2022.
Media freedom advocates said the case also raises concerns about the ability of governments and wealthy clients to influence search engine visibility and online narratives. Wikipedia administrators reportedly removed the disputed edits connected to anonymous accounts after identifying manipulation attempts.
Background reporting from several outlets has linked Al Otaiba to previous political controversies involving leaked correspondence and allegations surrounding influence operations in Washington. In 2017, hacked emails published by The Intercept and later cited by Al Jazeera showed discussions between UAE officials and policy organizations about regional disputes involving Qatar.
The UAE has consistently denied accusations that it improperly interferes in US political affairs. Al Otaiba previously defended the UAE’s influence in Washington, saying the country’s relationships reflected “close UAE-US cooperation and effective diplomacy,” according to The Guardian.
No criminal charges have been announced against Al Otaiba or Terakeet in connection with the reputation management campaign. The reports focused primarily on search engine optimization strategies, digital content creation, and online reputation management activities.
Further scrutiny may emerge from US lawmakers, media watchdog groups, and transparency organizations examining foreign influence campaigns in Washington. Neither the US Department of Justice nor the Federal Trade Commission has announced any formal investigation related to the allegations as of Monday.
