Conservative hoaxers to pay up to $1.25M under agreement with New York over 2020 robocall scheme

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Two conservative political operatives who orchestrated a robocall campaign to dissuade Black people from voting in the 2020 election have agreed to pay up to $1.25 million under a settlement with New York state, Attorney General Letitia James said Tuesday.

The operatives, Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, were accused of making robocalls to phone numbers in predominately Black neighborhoods in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois that told people they could be subjected to arrest, debt collection and forced vaccination if they voted by mail.

“Don’t be finessed into giving your private information to the man, stay safe and beware of vote by mail,” the automated recording told potential voters in the leadup to the election.

Wohl and Burkman pleaded guilty to felony telecommunications fraud in Ohio in 2022. The pair were sued in New York in 2020 by a civil rights organization, The National Coalition on Black Civil Participation, along with people who received the calls and the state attorney general.

An attorney for Wohl and Burkman did not immediately return a voicemail seeking comment.

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