2 North Texas companies under investigation for illegal robocalls impersonating President Biden
NORTH TEXAS - New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced Tuesday he's launched a criminal investigation into two North Texas companies for their alleged roles involving illegal robocalls made to sound like President Joe Biden.
He identified the companies as Life Corporation of Arlington and Lingo Telecom of Dallas.
Investigators said the voice was generated by artificial intelligence and told Democratic voters two days before the New Hampshire primary not to vote for President Biden.
The recording said, "Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday."
At a news conference, authorities said as many as 25,000 robocalls were made.
Formella said his office sent a cease-and-desist letter to Life Corporation, which operates out of an office in a strip mall and to a man named Walter Monk.
We were told Monk wasn't there when we stopped by Tuesday afternoon. Authorities said the company is the source of the robocalls.
The Federal Communications Commission sent a cease-and-desist letter to Lingo Telecom of Dallas, which investigators say created the A-I-generated voice to sound like President Biden.
Lingo Telecom, which operates in a Dallas office building, didn't respond to an email seeking comment.
Investigators said when they notified Lingo Telecom the robocalls were being investigated, the company suspended services to Life Corporation.
Formella said these robocalls are deceptive and that they are trying to ensure the public remains confident in the electoral process. "The message to any person or company who would attempt to engage in these activities is clear and it's simple: Don't try it. If you do, we will work together to investigate, we will work together with partners across the country to find you and we will take any enforcement action available to us under the law."
In a news release, the FCC said both companies have been warned about alleged illegal robocalls in the past.
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