Regulator fines neo-Nazi nearly $10 million for hateful robocalls

A neo-Nazi who robocalled tens of thousands of people in at least eight states now faces a nearly $10 million fine from the Federal Communications Commission.

According to the FCC, Scott D. Rhodes, a Nazi sympathizer based in Montana, fired off more than 34,000 pre-recorded messages bashing Black and Jewish politicians, Latinos, and journalists, and has until mid-February to pay off a $9.9 million fine before the case is referred to the Justice Department.

The communications regulator announced the fine on 14 January, and said Rhodes violated the Truth in Caller ID Act by making it look like the messages were coming from local numbers, a practice called “neighbor spoofing.

“Not only were the calls unlawful, but the caller took them to new levels of egregiousness,” said outgoing FCC Chairman Ajit Pai in a statement. “With today’s fine, we once again make clear our commitment to aggressively go after those who are unlawfully bombarding the American people with spoofed robocalls.”