FCC hits operative behind New Hampshire robocall with $6 million fine | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fcc-fine-joe-biden-deepfake-new-hampshire-robocall-steve-kramer\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"FCC hits operative behind New Hampshire robocall with $6 million fine\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Steve Kramer will have 30 days to pay the fine for his work behind the call that used AI to imitate President Joe Biden\u2019s voice.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fcc-fine-joe-biden-deepfake-new-hampshire-robocall-steve-kramer\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-26T20:45:03+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-26T20:45:04+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1280\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"mbracken\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\">\n<link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/use.typekit.net\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/feed\/\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Comments Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/comments\/feed\/\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-includes\/css\/dist\/block-library\/style.min.css?m=1725982252g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/mu-plugins\/search\/elasticpress\/dist\/css\/related-posts-block-styles.min.css?m=1726846296g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/themes\/scoopnewsgroup\/dist\/css\/frontend.css?m=1727276187g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\">\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"typekit-css\" href=\"https:\/\/use.typekit.net\/itk2qbh.css?ver=ada0ad45b21fc79c6694\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"https:\/\/api.w.org\/\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/\"><link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"JSON\" type=\"application\/json\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81942\"><link rel=\"EditURI\" type=\"application\/rsd+xml\" title=\"RSD\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/xmlrpc.php?rsd\">\n<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"WordPress 6.6.2\">\n<link rel=\"shortlink\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81942\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"oEmbed (JSON)\" type=\"application\/json+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Ffcc-fine-joe-biden-deepfake-new-hampshire-robocall-steve-kramer%2F\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"oEmbed (XML)\" type=\"text\/xml+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Ffcc-fine-joe-biden-deepfake-new-hampshire-robocall-steve-kramer%2F&format=xml\">   <link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=32\" sizes=\"32x32\">\n<link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=192\" sizes=\"192x192\">\n<link rel=\"apple-touch-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=180\">\n<meta name=\"msapplication-TileImage\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=270\"> <\/head><body class=\"post-template-default single single-post postid-81942 single-format-standard\" id=\"readabilityBody\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fcc-fine-joe-biden-deepfake-new-hampshire-robocall-steve-kramer\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"4.952380952381\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2024 CyberScoop 50 awards! <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/vote\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.635198135198\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"31.058823529412\">\n<p> Steve Kramer will have 30 days to pay the fine for his work behind the call that used AI to imitate President Joe Biden\u2019s voice. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> The FCC’s Jessica Rosenworcel testifies during an oversight hearing to examine the Federal Communications Commission on Capitol Hill on June 24, 2020. (Photo by Jonathan Newton\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"35.679263334131\"><body readability=\"72.281588447653\"><\/p>\n<p>The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday finalized a $6 million fine against the Democratic operative behind the January robocall in New Hampshire that <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/biden-new-hampshire-robo-call-deepfake\/\">used AI to imitate President Joe Biden\u2019s voice<\/a> and urge voters to stay away from the polls.<\/p>\n<p>Steve Kramer, who used deepfake, AI-generated voice cloning technology and caller ID spoofing to facilitate the fake Biden call, will have 30 days to pay the fine following the FCC\u2019s vote during its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/september-2024-open-commission-meeting\">September open commission meeting<\/a>. The Department of Justice will be enlisted for collection if Kramer fails to pay within that 30-day window. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet me be very clear: if you flood our phones with this junk, we will find you and you will pay,\u201d FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said. \u201cAnd it is not just this agency you will need to worry about. The New Hampshire Attorney General is prosecuting Steve Kramer for voter suppression and impersonation of a candidate, and we are committed to helping our colleagues in the state every step of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Raul Rojo, attorney advisor in the Enforcement Bureau\u2019s Telecommunications Consumers Division, said the FCC arrived at the $6 million figure in its <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.fcc.gov\/public\/attachments\/FCC-24-59A1.pdf\">notice of apparent liability<\/a> by assessing a base forfeiture of $1,000 per each of Kramer\u2019s 3,000 spoofed calls. The bureau then applied \u201can additional 100% upward adjustment for egregiousness,\u201d Rojo said. \u201cSteve Kramer did not respond to the NAL. As such, we see no reason to cancel, withdraw or reduce the proposed penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kramer, who was working as a paid consultant for the presidential campaign of Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., defended his actions in an <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/kramer-ai-robocall-lawsuit-response\/\">April interview with CyberScoop<\/a>, saying that the call \u2014 which spoofed the phone number of former New Hampshire Democratic official Kathy Sullivan \u2014 raised national awareness about the dangers of AI-generated deepfakes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t name any other campaign or any other event that\u2019s happened for $500 that got the [same] type of regulation change, exposure about the issue as well as the ability for legislators to finally be able to talk about it in their state legislatures,\u201d Kramer told CyberScoop.<\/p>\n<p>Loyaan A. Egal, chief of the FCC\u2019s Enforcement Bureau and chair of the Privacy and Data Protection Task Force, scoffed at Kramer\u2019s assertion during Thursday\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKramer has claimed he made the calls to raise awareness of the dangers of AI while espousing deceptive and self-serving rhetoric,\u201d Egal said. \u201cKramer sought to lie to New Hampshire voters about everything, from whose voice was on the message to whose number was dialing them. The New Hampshire political operative and the New Hampshire primary voters were carefully and deliberately chosen targets and victims of Kramer\u2019s scheme.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The FCC\u2019s fine of Kramer \u2014 who faces <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/ai-robocall-steve-kramer-criminal-charges\/\">13 felony and 13 misdemeanor counts<\/a> in New Hampshire \u2014 comes after the agency last month <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/telecom-behind-ai-powered-biden-robocall-agrees-to-1-million-fcc-fine\/\">reached a $1 million settlement with Lingo Telecom<\/a>, the Texas-based voice service provider that sent the robocalls. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rosenworcel said the FCC will continue its push to increase transparency around the use of AI in calls and texts, citing a recent rule <a href=\"https:\/\/fedscoop.com\/new-fcc-rules-would-require-ai-disclosures-from-robocallers\/\">requiring callers to disclose<\/a> up front their use of AI to generate calls and texts and a proposal for local, state and issue campaigns to do the same when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/document\/fcc-proposes-disclosure-rules-use-ai-political-ads#:~:text=The%20Commission%20proposes%20to%20require,radio%20and%20television%20political%20advertisements.\">AI is used<\/a> in their radio and television ads. <\/p>\n<p>Those actions, Rosenworcel said, are \u201cbuilding on disclosure practices we have had at this agency for decades. Because as these tools become more accessible, every one of us has a right to know if they are being used.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"4.2055267702936\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"15\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Matt Bracken\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Matt Bracken<\/h4>\n<p> Matt Bracken is the managing editor of FedScoop and CyberScoop, overseeing coverage of federal government technology policy and cybersecurity. Before joining Scoop News Group in 2023, Matt was a senior editor at Morning Consult, leading data-driven coverage of tech, finance, health and energy. He previously worked in various editorial roles at The Baltimore Sun and the Arizona Daily Star. 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{"id":5498,"date":"2024-09-26T15:45:03","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T20:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81942"},"modified":"2024-09-26T15:45:03","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T20:45:03","slug":"fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/09\/26\/fcc-hits-operative-behind-new-hampshire-robocall-with-6-million-fine\/","title":{"rendered":"FCC hits operative behind New Hampshire robocall with $6 million fine"},"content":{"rendered":"