A pair of Russian comedians known for pranking high-profile celebrities successfully duped U.S. energy secretary Rick Perry into a 22-minute phone call discussing American coal exports and various other energy matters, Reuters reports.
Vladimir Krasnov and Alexei Stolyarov, referred to by some as the “Jerky Boys of Russia,” have made fake calls to A-listers like Elton John, who thought he was on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others.
“These individuals are known for pranking high-level officials and celebrities, particularly those who are supportive of an agenda that is not in line with their governments. In this case, the energy security of Ukraine,” Energy Department spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes said in a written statement to Reuters.
Audio of the embarrassing exchange was later uploaded to the internet, where it was first reported on by E&E News.
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