Principal’s racist rant was actually fake AI recording by disgruntled employee, cops say

A Maryland high school principal didn’t go on a racist rant about “ungrateful Black kids” and Jewish individuals as suggested by a voice recording that surfaced online in January, according to police.

The audio file “quickly spread” on social media on Jan. 17 and had “profound repercussions,” according to police in Baltimore County.

Pikesville High School Principal Eric Eiswert denied making the “disparaging comments” heard in the recording, and suspected his “technologically savvy” athletic director was somehow behind it, police wrote in charging documents provided to McClatchy News on Thursday, April 25, by the Baltimore County State Attorney’s Office.

Eiswert told police he had discussions with the athletic director about not renewing his contract, and this “fueled a grievance” between them ahead of the audio clip’s release, the charging documents state.

The now-former athletic director, Dazhon Darien, 31, was arrested April 25 for disrupting school activities, The Baltimore Banner reported.

“We have now conclusive evidence that the recording was not authentic,” Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said at an April 25 news conference.

Darien is accused of using AI to create the recording of Eiswert, according to the charging documents.

He was taken into custody at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where he was trying to get on a flight Thursday morning, according to McCullough.

The fake recording “not only led to (Eiswert’s) temporary removal from the school but also triggered a wave of hate-filled messages on social media and numerous calls to the school,” the documents state.

It also put him and his family “at significant risk of harm from others,” as the recording “fueled significant emotions from members of the public,” police wrote.

The recording was shared to Instagram, CBS News reported.

Part of the clip mentions “ungrateful Black kids who can’t test their way out of a paper bag” and “teachers who don’t get it.”

Information regarding Darien’s legal representation wasn’t immediately available on April 25. The Baltimore County Public School District didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

Darien is also facing charges related to theft, retaliating against a witness and stalking.

During the news conference, school district Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers said an investigation was immediately launched with the help of authorities once the district was aware of the audio.

“This has been a very difficult time for (the) Pikesville High School community and Principal Eiswert and his family,” Rogers said.

“The statements on the recording do not reflect the core values of our system.”

The investigation

According to the charging document, police had a forensic analyst, who is a University of Colorado professor and a contractor with the FBI, analyze the audio clip.

The expert determined the recording “contained traces of AI-generated content with human editing” and “background noises” were added for “realism,” the document states.

A second expert, a forensic analyst with the University of California, Berkeley, also “determined the recording was not authentic,” McCullough said at the news conference.

Afterward, the investigation concluded artificial intelligence was used to create it, according to McCullough.

Darien is accused of making the clip in retaliation against Eiswert, “who had launched an investigation into the potential mishandling of school funds,” McCullough said.

He is charged with stealing school district funds valued between $1,500 and $25,000, according to police.

Baltimore County executive Johnny Olszewski called the fake audio clip “disturbing” at the news conference.

“Today we are relieved to have some closure on the origins of this audio,” he said. “However it is clear that we are also entering a new, deeply concerning frontier.

“As we continue to embrace emerging technology ... we must also remain vigilant against those who use it for malicious intent.”

“That will require us to be more aware and discerning about the audio we hear and the images we see,” he added. “We will need to be careful in our judgment.”

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