A controversial pol and serial sperm donor used phony AI-generated endorsements to try to scam his way into a city council seat, Queens prosecutors said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Rinaldi, 47, who has\u00a0become known as the<\/a>\u00a0\u201cSperminator,\u201d was arraigned on three counts of forgery and 15 counts of possession of a forged instrument for posting false articles claiming to be from The Post and other outlets,\u00a0prosecutors said.<\/p>\n Rinaldi allegedly started the scam shortly after announcing he was running for the council\u2019s District 29 seat in Queens, routinely subbing out legit poll results and news articles on his social media accounts with phony AI content.<\/p>\n Jonathan Rinaldi, 47, who had become known as the \u201cSperminator,\u201d was arraigned on three counts of forgery and 15 counts of possession of a forged instrument for posting false articles claiming to be from The Post and other outlets, James Messerschmidt for NY Post<\/p>\n An AI-generated campaign poster used by Rinaldi on the campaign trail. X\/@JDRforNYC<\/p>\n The accused fraudster was all smiles in court, and remained defiant in an interview with The Post after leaving court.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all know that if I won, I\u2019d be in the DA\u2019s office talking politics, shop right now,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s the way it goes.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody should be up in arms and coming to get my back here,\u201d he added. \u201cWhat are they going to do? Start regulating people\u2019s campaigns?\u201d<\/p>\n The accused fraudster also claimed First Amendment rights.<\/p>\n \u201cThe First Amendment is absolute,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m allowed just like anybody else to make any kind of content that I want.\u201d<\/p>\n But prosecutors said he crossed the line.<\/p>\n On October 20, he used the Queens Jewish Alliance logo to claim the organization backed his run \u2014 when it didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n When the head of the QJA called him on the ruse, Rinaldi shamelessly admitted he had to cut corners, the DA said.<\/p>\n Rinaldi also created deepfake images of his opponent next to Donald Trump. X\/@JDRforNYC<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you are trying to fight against the establishment, I have to use every available tool that\u2019s at my disposal because I already know that \u2026 you\u2019re never going to give me your endorsement,\u201d he allegedly said in a recorded call.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s politics,\u201d he allegedly said. \u201cI\u2019m just using asymmetrical warfare. I cannot use the same tactics, the same so-called, quote-unquote, methods that the establishment uses.\u201d<\/p>\n Rinaldi is also accused of posting a fake Post article on Facebook on Oct. 4, claiming former Councilman Robert Holden was endorsing him in the race \u2014 creating the faux report with a Google search and an AI-generated image.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n In other phony posts on Facebook and Instagram, he allegedly claimed endorsements by the NYPD 112th Precinct, PS 101 elementary school, and the Asian Wave Alliance \u2014 even using AI-created videos to try to sell the lie.<\/p>\n None of it was real, and the groups do not issue political endorsements.\u00a0<\/p>\n On Oct. 24, he even fabricated a phony news article that claimed his opponent had dropped out of the race, the DA said.<\/p>\n \u201cRinaldi posted several similar fake articles on the same topic: one article was generated using CNN branding, another used the Daily News branding, and two additional videos were manufactured to mimic fictitious broadcasts,\u201d prosecutors said.<\/p>\n Rinaldi posted AI-deepfake images of his opponent, Andrew Hevesi. X\/@JDRforNYC<\/p>\n \u201cEnough is enough,\u201d Queens DA Melinda Katz said in a statement. \u201cIn today\u2019s world, it is important to hold people accountable for materially misrepresenting facts.\u201d<\/p>\n Rinaldi, a Republican who has unsuccessfully run for local and state office in the past, often without party backing.<\/p>\n He has been accused of political shenanigans in the past, and was arrested for disrupting a Queens polling place in 2023.<\/p>\n