Baltimore man to stand trial after allegedly framing former principal with AI-generated rant
A Baltimore man is scheduled to begin trial this week after being accused of using AI to impersonate a former high school principal in 2024.
Former Pikesville High School athletic director Dazhon Darien allegedly used AI to create a recording of former principal Eric Eiswert that included racist and antisemitic comments.
According to court documents, Darien is charged with stalking, disrupting school operations, retaliating against a witness and theft. His trial is scheduled to start with jury selection on Monday morning.
Accused of using AI to impersonate a principal
According to Baltimore County police, Darien used AI to replicate Eiswert's voice and then shared the audio on social media in January 2024.
The recording included negative comments about Black students and the Jewish community. Police said the recording was supposed to represent a conversation between Eiswert and an assistant principal.
Detectives determined that Darien created the fake recording to retaliate against Eiswert after the former principal launched an investigation into the potential mishandling of school funds.
Due to the viral nature of the recording, Eiswert was temporarily removed from the school.
Experts determine recording was created with AI
Eiswert told police that he believed the clip was created using AI. He believed Darien was responsible, saying he was "technologically savvy and believed he was familiar with AI."
During their investigation, police determined that Darien had several work-related issues since he began in July 2023.
The investigation also revealed that Darien had searched for OpenAI tools, which were eventually linked to paid accounts.
An audio analysis conducted by three experts found that the recording had content generated with AI, along with background noises added through human editing.
Dazhon Darien charged with child pornography
Following his initial arrest, Darien was also charged with child pornography and exploitation, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to court documents, Darien coerced a boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct and create abuse material. He allegedly coerced two other minors to engage in sexual conduct.
A search of Darien's phone revealed child sex abuse material, according to prosecutors.
Darien's original trial for impersonating former principal Eiswert was postponed after he was arrested on these federal charges.
Former principal files lawsuit over AI impersonation
In January 2025, former principal Eiswert filed a lawsuit against the Baltimore County school district and Darien over the false AI recording.
The lawsuit alleges that Darien conspired with other school employees.
After Eiswert was suspended for the racist comments, he resigned from his job. His lawsuit alleges that the district removed him from his position despite knowing the recording was fake.
According to Eiswert's lawsuit, the district did not defend him when it was proven that the recording was created through AI.
The lawsuit also accuses the district of negligence in its hiring of Darien.
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