A New York City politician, known for his past claims about donating sperm and his nickname "Sperminator," has been arrested and charged with fraud for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create fraudulent campaign endorsements. Jonathan Rinaldi, 47, was arraigned Wednesday on three counts of forgery and 15 counts of possession of a forged instrument.
The charges stem from his campaign for a City Council seat in District 29 in Queens last year. According to the Queens District Attorney's office, Rinaldi is accused of posting false articles that appeared to be from The Post and other outlets, falsely claiming endorsements. Prosecutors stated the scheme, which ran from January to November, was intended to mislead voters.
In one instance, Rinaldi allegedly told the Queens Jewish Alliance that he forged their endorsement because they would not provide it voluntarily. He also reportedly created deepfake images of his opponent, Andrew Hevesi, placing him next to Donald Trump.
Rinaldi has previously made public statements about offering his sperm to women he believes can financially support children, claiming it saves them money compared to sperm banks. He has stated he relinquishes parental rights and decisions in these arrangements.
Rinaldi is scheduled to return to court in August to face the fraud charges.