Conservative hoaxers face charges over robocalls

Two conservative operatives were charged Thursday with felonies in connection with false robocalls that aimed to dissuade residents in Detroit and other U. S. cities from voting by mail, Michigan’s attorney general announced.

Jacob Wohl, 22, and Jack Burkman, 54, each face four felony counts in Detroit, including conspiring to intimidate voters in violation of election law and using a computer to commit crimes, Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

The calls falsely warned residents in majority-Black Detroit and urban areas in at least four other states that voting by mail in the Nov. 3 election could subject people to arrest, debt collection and forced vaccination, Nessel said.

The men, who have a history of staging hoaxes and spreading false smears against prominent Democrats and government officials, are not in custody and no date for their arraignments has been set.

Nessel said her office would work with local law enforcement to secure their appearances if necessary, saying the men could face arrest and extradition or could voluntarily come to Michigan to face the charges.

A judge found probable cause Thursday to support the charges, which carry the potential for years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines upon conviction.

Nessel’s office warned the public about the calls and launched an investigation in late August after thousands of Detroit residents received them.

Burkman didn’t immediately reply to a Thursday voicemail seeking comment about the charges and Wohl didn’t immediately reply to an email.