May 24, 2024 at 07:28PM
Steven Kramer, a political consultant from New Orleans, was indicted on charges of felony voter suppression and misdemeanor impersonation of a candidate for creating a deepfake anti-Biden robocall, facing a $6 million FCC fine. Kramer used AI-generated voice cloning and caller ID spoofing technology to influence the New Hampshire Democratic primary. The fraudulent calls aimed to discourage voter turnout, benefiting a specific candidate. These actions have prompted investigations by the New Hampshire Attorney General and the FCC, resulting in charges and fines.
After reviewing the meeting notes, it is clear that Steven Kramer, a political consultant from New Orleans, has been indicted on several charges related to voter suppression and impersonation of a candidate.
Kramer admitted to paying $150 to create a deepfake anti-Biden robocall that used AI-generated voice cloning technology to impersonate President Joe Biden and caller ID spoofing to hide the source. The call aimed to depress voter turnout in the New Hampshire Democratic primary and boost the chances of House Rep Dean Phillips as a candidate against Joe Biden.
The New Hampshire Attorney General, John Formella, and the FCC have opened investigations into the robocalls, leading to Kramer being charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts across four counties. The FCC also proposed a $6 million fine for election misinformation and unlawful call spoofing.
If finalized, this will be the first-ever enforcement action related to spoofed, deepfake robocalls in the US.