Steve Kramer, a political consultant, has been fined $6 million for orchestrating a deepfake robocall impersonating President Joe Biden, leading to his indictment on multiple criminal charges and sparking debate on AI regulation in political communication.
Political Consultant Fined Over Deepfake Biden Robocall
Steve Kramer, a political consultant, has been indicted and fined $6 million for using artificial intelligence to create a deepfake robocall that impersonated President Joe Biden. The robocall, sent to voters in New Hampshire in January 2024 before the Democratic primary, falsely urged them to stay home and save their votes for the general election in November. Kramer faces ten criminal charges in Rockingham County, including bribery, intimidation, and impersonation of candidates, with similar charges filed in Merrimack and Belknap counties.
Paul Carpenter, a New Orleans magician, created the deepfake robocall on commission from Kramer. The Federal Communications Commission also fined Lingo Telecom $2 million for transmitting the robocall. Following the incident, the FCC banned robocalls using AI-generated voices.
Kramer claimed his actions were intended to highlight the need for AI regulation. Both Kramer and two Texas companies involved in the call’s distribution are now facing additional lawsuits.
