An AI-made endorsement. Then came forgery charges.

The logo looked familiar. The news headline looked real. The endorsement, prosecutors say, was made up.

In June 2026, prosecutors in Queens, New York, charged former city council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi with forgery and criminal possession of a forged instrument. They allege that during his 2025 campaign he altered an organization’s endorsement sheet to put his own name on it, and circulated fake news stories, images and videos that appeared to show support from public figures and institutions.

The prosecutor’s account says AI was used to create some images and videos. The allegation is more specific than “he made AI pictures”: prosecutors say the posts were presented as genuine endorsements or reporting. That distinction is central to the charges.

Rinaldi pleaded not guilty at arraignment. In comments reported by the Associated Press, he did not confirm or deny making the posts and described the case as a free-speech issue. These are allegations, not a finding of guilt.

The surprising part is that the charge does not depend on a new “AI forgery” law. New York’s existing third-degree forgery statute covers falsely making, completing or altering a written instrument with intent to defraud, deceive or injure someone. Prosecutors argue that the alleged campaign material fits that law. One case cannot establish how every AI-made political post will be treated, and using AI by itself is not what the statute says is a crime.

If a post claims that a group or newspaper endorsed someone, check the source directly. Open the group’s own website or verified account; search the newspaper’s site for the headline. A screenshot can be copied, edited or generated, and a logo alone does not authenticate it.

The line at issue: not simply “Was AI involved?” but whether someone deliberately passed off fabricated material as another person’s or organization’s genuine statement.

This is a New York case; the defendant pleaded not guilty. Laws differ by place. This is not legal advice.

Sources: Queens County District Attorney’s charging announcement; Associated Press, defendant’s response and case background; New York Penal Law §170.05.