Katie Zacharia told reporters on Friday that her connection to an artificial intelligence mining firm was a lie. The former White House press secretary, who was dismissed just five days into her role, had previously claimed to be a board member of NRED Intelligent Mining. She now admits the association was fabricated.
The fake announcement
On June 24, a press release stated that Zacharia was joining the advisory board of NRED, then operating as NovaRed Mining. The company, based in Vancouver, Canada, described the move as a partnership to provide strategic guidance on exploration projects and emerging artificial intelligence initiatives. Kristi Noem, the former Department of Homeland Security secretary, was listed alongside her as a strategic advisor.
Zacharia had left her job as a DHS spokesperson two months prior to this announcement. At the time, she described herself as an attorney, though she later conceded she never passed the California bar. She also admitted to a past role as an affiliate marketer for Beachbody, a fitness multi-level marketing company.
When contacted on Friday regarding her status, Zacharia called the board membership false. She directed questions to Sam Amsterdam, a marketing professional whose clients include the government of Kazakhstan and political parties in Georgia, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. Amsterdam confirmed the release was issued without Zacharia’s consent and was not approved by her.
Valentin Saitarli, who served as chief technology officer and is now onboarding as CEO, said discussions about a role had taken place but never materialised. He compared the situation to signing up for a gym membership without ever attending a workout. Despite this, the press release remained on the company website through Friday, and an archived version showed Zacharia listed as management as recently as July.
A board of non-miners
Earlier this month, the company announced a pivot. It stopped working on its flagship Wilmac Copper-Gold Project to focus entirely on MetalCore, an AI-assisted mineral exploration platform. Saitarli stated the goal was to bring robotics and artificial intelligence to global mining and space exploration.
Phil Ehr, a retired US Navy commander running for Congress in Florida, joined the advisory board earlier this year. He admitted he knew nothing about mining or commodities but believed the world needed more copper and critical minerals. Ehr said he was blindsided when Noem and Zacharia were added to the board without prior consultation.
Ehr did not want to be associated with Noem following the ICE occupation in Minneapolis. He told the company he could not work with her due to their opposing views on federal policy. He found it strange that the board was filled with people like him who lacked industry expertise. Instead of geologists, the company brought in Gregory Fedun, a former advisor to the UAE’s Al Mualla Royal Family, and media executive Lee Caplin, coproducer of HBO’s True Detective.
Ehr resigned from the advisory board shortly after Noem joined. The announcement of her involvement had already triggered an outcry among Canadians, many of whom noted her past comments referring to Canada as the 51st state. At the time, The Globe and Mail described NovaRed as a company generating no revenue with insufficient cash to cover expected expenses for the next 12 months.
The board composition changed around the spring. NovaRed began stacking its advisory board with figures connected to the defense sector, MAGA politics, and international entities rather than technical consultants typical for a junior mining company.
Other controversies
While clarifying her link to NRED, Zacharia also addressed her time with Beachbody. On Thursday evening, she asked a WIRED reporter to contact Jenelle Summers for clarity on the matter. Summers recalled meeting Zacharia online and described her as kind and interested in fitness products. Summers rejected the idea that the company was a pyramid scheme, calling it a network marketing business model instead.
Zacharia did not respond to requests for comment regarding her firing. When asked about the dismissal, Amsterdam told a reporter that the news was new to him.
What it means
For the company, this situation highlights a disconnect between its marketing narrative and its actual operations. NRED is positioning itself as a high-tech robotics firm, yet its leadership team consists largely of political figures and marketing professionals without specific mining expertise. The reliance on fabricated credentials to bolster credibility suggests a strategy focused on hype rather than substantive technical development.
