Political Consultant Indicted on Charges for Fake Biden Robocalls
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced the indictment of political consultant Steven Kramer for allegedly orchestrating artificial intelligence-generated robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden’s voice during the New Hampshire presidential primary.
The FCC proposed a $6 million fine for Kramer, who faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges related to voter suppression and candidate impersonation. Kramer admitted to creating the AI-generated voice resembling the president’s and using deceptive language to dissuade voters from participating in the primary.
The robocalls falsely implied that voting in the primary would prevent voters from casting ballots in the general election, urging them to save [their] vote for the November election instead. These calls were sent to thousands of voters, with some originating from Lingo Telecom, which also faces a $2 million fine from the FCC for violating caller identification rules.
The FCC is committed to safeguarding elections from interference and misinformation spread through technologies like generative AI and voice cloning. Collaborating with state attorneys general, the FCC aims to combat these deceptive practices and hold accountable those who misuse telecommunications networks for fraudulent purposes.
As investigations continue, authorities are determined to protect consumers and voters from malicious robocalls and voter suppression tactics employed by bad actors. By enforcing regulations and imposing fines, both federal and state agencies are sending a strong message that election interference will not be tolerated.
