2020 Robocallers Targeting Detroit's Black Voters Sentenced To Probation

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 12/01/2025) The Attorney General on Monday described two Virginia men sentenced for 2020 robocalls targeting Detroit's black voters as "sociopaths" likely to re-offend.

Attorneys for co-defendants John Burkman and Jacob Wohl disagreed with that characterization as well as with the AG's comments that states are "engaging in racial gerrymandering … disguised as redistricting," which they said had nothing to do with their clients.

"The defendants in this case, their conduct used every racist dog whistle imaginable – fear of incarceration, fear of the government, fear of one's benefits being taken away, and these tactics were used to steal the most fundamental right that we often take for granted and that is what makes their conduct so deplorable and downright dangerous," Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

" … They've led lives and careers that are wrapped in fraud and deceit and manipulations at great expense to others, and this pattern of fraud and abuse and deceit, I'm afraid, I'm fearful that it's not going to stop with today's sentencing," Nessel added.

Scott Grabel, who represents Burkman, said his client has "paid a pretty hard price" for his conduct, including having a felony record and a "substantial" civil judgment from New York.

New York's Attorney General reached an agreement with Burkman and Wohl in April 2024 that called for them to pay up to $1.25 million for making robocalls targeting Black voters and transmitting false and threatening messages to discourage voting.

Grabel rejected Nessel's comments that quoted media who claimed Burkman's conduct had continued, saying there's "been no proof" or other pending charges related to fraudulent behavior.

"He's not getting off scot-free," Grabel said. " … He regrets this robocall deeply."

William Amadeo, who represents Wohl, also objected to Nessel's comments about his client.

"The Attorney General is using this as a political platform," Amadeo said. "Can we please stick to the facts of the case?"

Burkman, of Arlington, and Wohl, of Fairfax, were charged in October 2020, and were sentenced to one-year non-reporting probation for their no contest plea to bribing/intimidating voters, conspiracy to commit an election law violation and using a computer to commit each of those crimes.

The defendants' sentence was a Cobbs agreement, which meant Wayne County Circuit Judge Margaret Van Houten tentatively agreed to a predetermined sentence. If she deterred from that agreement, the defendants could have withdrawn their plea.

Van Houten said she was "appalled" by the robocall when she first heard of the case as it was "clearly an attempt to suppress minority votes in Detroit."

Van Houten also expressed concern that it will happen again, but she said she has no reason not to follow the Cobbs agreement.

"I am concerned that these activities might happen again," the judge said. "But, unfortunately, there's no proof that they've actually engaged in any other conduct or misconduct that would cause me not to be able to follow the Cobbs evaluation."

The calls were made in late August 2020 and went out to nearly 12,000 residents with phone numbers from the 313 area code. The callers said voting by mail would place voters' personal information in a public database that police would use to track down individuals with outstanding warrants and that voting by mail would give credit card companies information to collect outstanding debts, according to the AG's office.

The robocall also claimed the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were attempting to use vote by mail records to track individuals for mandatory vaccines.

The robocall named Burkman and Wohl as responsible for the calls and claimed them to be the founders of a "civil rights organization" named "Project 1599." It closed with a message urging the predominantly Black recipients to not be "finessed into giving your private information to the man. Stay safe and beware of vote by mail."

Both Wohl and Burkman declined to comment, saying their attorneys' statements were enough.