A former New York City Council candidate, Jonathan Rinaldi, has been arrested and charged with forgery for allegedly using AI to create fake endorsements and news articles on social media during his campaign. He claims the charges infringe on First Amendment freedoms.
The case highlights the growing challenge for lawmakers and law enforcement to address the misuse of AI in political campaigns, potentially misleading voters and undermining democratic processes.
A former New York City Council candidate, Jonathan Rinaldi, has been arrested and charged with forgery for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create fake endorsements and news articles on social media during his campaign. Rinaldi, who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for a council seat in Queens last year, was arrested outside his home and could face up to two years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors claim Rinaldi fabricated posts, including one falsely stating an endorsement from the Queens Jewish Alliance with its logo, and another that appeared to show him shaking hands with then-Council Member Robert Holden, accompanied by a doctored photo generated by AI. Rinaldi, in a phone interview, called the charges an infringement on his First Amendment rights and stated, “This is an issue that strikes at the heart of our First Amendment freedoms — not just for me, but for everybody.”
District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for misrepresenting facts, especially in political campaigns. The complaint also alleges Rinaldi used AI to create images of his Democratic opponent, Lynn Schulman, wearing a shirt with a slogan intended to harm her support in a Jewish neighborhood. Additionally, AI-generated videos appearing to show endorsements from a police precinct and an elementary school were allegedly posted.
New York has enacted laws in 2024 requiring disclosures for deepfakes in campaign materials and allowing targeted candidates to seek court orders to block their dissemination. The charges against Rinaldi, third-degree forgery and possession of forged instruments, predate AI but are defined to include online writings intended to defraud. Rinaldi also faced accusations of submitting fraudulent documents in a recent Democratic primary for state Assembly, where he was defeated by incumbent Andrew Hevesi.