Political consultant behind fake Biden robocalls faces criminal charges

Crime

The Federal Communications Commission said the fine it proposed Thursday against Steven Kramer was the first involving generative AI technology.

By HOLLY RAMER and ALI SWENSON, Associated Press

May 23, 2024 | 1:55 p.m.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A political consultant who sent artificial intelligence-generated robocalls imitating President Joe Biden’s voice to voters ahead of New Hampshire’s presidential primary faces a $6 million fine and more than two dozen criminal charges.

The Federal Communications Commission said the fine it proposed Thursday against Steven Kramer was the first involving generative AI technology. The company accused of transmitting the calls, Lingo Telecom, faces a $2 million fine, although in either case the parties could settle or negotiate more, the FCC said.

Kramer admitted to orchestrating a message that was sent to thousands of voters two days before the nation’s first primary on Jan. 23. The message broadcast an AI-generated voice similar to that of the Democratic president who used his phrase “What a bunch of bullshit” and falsely suggested that voting in the primary would prevent voters from voting in November.

Kramer faces 13 criminal charges alleging he violated a New Hampshire law making it illegal to try to dissuade someone from voting by using misleading information. He also faces 13 misdemeanor charges accusing him of falsely presenting himself as a candidate through his own conduct or that of another person. The charges were filed in four counties but, as often happens with serious allegations, will be prosecuted by the state attorney general’s office.

Neither Lingo Telecom nor Kramer responded to requests for comment Thursday. Kramer previously told The Associated Press that he was not trying to influence the outcome of the election, but rather wanted to sound the alarm about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence when he had paid a New Orleans magician $150 to create the recording.

“Maybe I’m a bad guy today, but I think ultimately we’ll get a better country and a better democracy because of what I did deliberately,” Kramer said in February.

Lingo Telecom told the AP in February that it was “committed to upholding the highest standards of customer service in accordance with all of its regulatory obligations.” The company said at the time that it acted quickly to assist in the investigation once it became aware of the scam calls.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said regulators are committed to helping states prosecute perpetrators. In a statement, she called the robocalls “troubling.”

“Because when a caller sounds like a politician you know, a celebrity you love, or a family member you know, any of us could be led to believe something that isn’t true with calls using AI technology,” she said in a statement. statement. “This is exactly how the bad actors behind these unwanted manipulated voice calls want you to react.”

Shortly after the New Hampshire primary, the agency banned robocalls containing voices generated by artificial intelligence.

In an interview days after being publicly identified as the source of the calls, Kramer said he disagreed that his robocall suppressed voter turnout, noting that Biden had won the Democratic primary by a wide margin as a write-in candidate. While doing ballot access work for another former Democratic presidential candidate, Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Kramer said he acted alone.

Swenson reported from New York.