Political Consultant Accused of Making False New Hampshire Robocalls Charged

A man from New Hampshire is facing criminal charges for sending out robocalls that imitated President Joe Biden’s voice, as reported by WMUR.

Steven Kramer, who resides in Rockingham County, has been indicted for bribery, intimidation, and suppression in various New Hampshire counties where individuals claim to have received the robocalls, according to WMUR.

Using artificial intelligence, the robocalls replicated Biden’s voice and conveyed the message: “Voting … only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.”

“It sounded like Joe Biden, and I was like, that’s weird, and then as I listened more, I’m like, it doesn’t really sound like Joe Biden,” said Krista Zurek, who received one of the calls, to WMUR.

Despite facing charges, Kramer remains steadfast in his actions, stating that he sent out the calls to highlight the need for more regulation on artificial intelligence, reports WMUR. He challenged investigators to “bring it,” as per WMUR.

NBC News revealed that it took less than 20 minutes to create the fake audio at a cost of just $1, according to a New Orleans magician involved in the project. He disclosed receiving $150 in payment and shared Venmo transactions from Kramer and his father, Bruce Kramer.

Kramer had a prior connection with Dean Phillips’ presidential campaign, although both Kramer and the campaign denied any involvement in the robocalls, as per WMUR.

Federal Election Commission records show that Kramer was paid $259,946 by Phillips’ campaign for ballot access work in December and January.

As a seasoned political operative, Kramer has worked on various campaigns over the past 20 years, including the 2020 presidential campaign of Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, according to NBC News.