The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially levied its full recommended fine against political consultant Steve Kramer for a series of illegal robocalls involving deepfake AI technology and caller ID spoofing during the New Hampshire primaries. Kramer is required to pay $6 million in fines within the next 30 days, failing which the Department of Justice will manage the collection.
Kramer was found to have violated a law enacted in 2009 that prohibits the intentional transmission of misleading or inaccurate caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value. Although the law was established before the widespread use of AI, the FCC voted unanimously this past February to extend its provisions to cover deepfakes.
The fraudulent robocalls, which used deepfake technology to mimic President Biden’s voice, were delivered to New Hampshire residents ahead of the 2024 presidential primary election. In these calls, the impersonated President Biden urged voters not to participate in the upcoming primary, stating, “Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.” The calls were also manipulated to appear as though they originated from the former chairwoman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
Kramer enlisted New Orleans magician Paul Carpenter to create the fake recordings. Carpenter demonstrated to NBC News how he utilized an AI voice generator called ElevenLabs to produce the deepfake audio files of President Biden, a process he claimed took only about 20 minutes. Carpenter alleged that he was paid through Venmo and believed the work was authorized by President Biden’s campaign. Eleven Labs has since terminated Carpenter’s account.
Kramer has defended his actions by stating that his intent was to raise awareness about the dangers and potential misuse of such technology. Despite the minimal cost of $500 for the robocalls, Kramer claimed that the exposure generated was worth millions in value. He stated that he kept his identity anonymous to allow regulatory processes to unfold naturally, emphasizing that his goal was to make a difference, not to seek fame.
In addition to facing the hefty FCC fine, Kramer is also contending with criminal charges. New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella announced last May that Kramer has been charged with 13 felony counts of voter suppression and 13 misdemeanor counts of impersonation of a candidate.
