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Pair faces new robocall charges

CLEVELAND (AP) — Two conservative operatives facing criminal charges in Michigan were indicted in Cleveland on Tuesday for organizing tens of thousands of hoax robocalls — made to predominantly Black Midwestern cities — that falsely warned people information gleaned from their mail-in ballots could lead to their arrest or forced vaccinations.

Arrest warrants were issued Tuesday for Jacob Wohl, 22, of Los Angeles, and Jack Burkman, 54, of Arlington, Virginia. They face multiple counts of bribery and voter intimidation after being indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury.

Online court records don’t indicate whether the men have attorneys.

They were charged in Detroit on Oct. 1 with conspiring to intimidate voters and using a computer to commit crimes. A judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf. Their first court appearance in Cleveland is scheduled for Nov. 13.

The men are accused of using a voice broadcast service to make tens of thousands of hoax calls to voters in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Wohl and Burkman have a history of staging hoaxes and spreading false smears against Democrats and public officials.

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