AI-generated racist recording impersonating Maryland school principal
Dazhon Darien, a Baltimore County Schools athletic director, allegedly used AI to generate a racist recording impersonating former Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert, which went viral on social media. Darien was arrested on federal child pornography charges and faces state charges including disturbing school operations, retaliation, and stalking; he was also accused of conspiring with other school employees to frame Eiswert.
What happened
Dazhon Darien, 32, a former athletic director at Pikesville High School, allegedly used AI to generate a recording that impersonated Principal Eric Eiswert making racist comments about Black students and the Jewish community. The recording went viral on social media.
A forensic analyst and university professor contracted by the FBI examined the recording and determined it contained traces of AI-generated content with human editing used to add background noise. Investigators believe Darien generated the recording in retaliation against Eiswert for launching an investigation into Darien's potential mishandling of school funds.
Reported impact
Eiswert was removed from his position as principal of Pikesville High School despite the recording being determined fabricated. He subsequently began a new role as principal of Sparrows Point Middle School in June 2024.
In early January 2025, Eiswert filed a lawsuit against Baltimore County Public Schools for removing him from his position and accused Darien of conspiring with other BCPS employees to frame him.
Index analysis
The AI-generated recording successfully impersonated the principal's voice and made racist statements that were credible enough to be widely shared on social media and to influence the school's personnel decisions.
An investigation by the Baltimore Banner revealed that Darien used false resumes to apply for jobs at Baltimore County Public Schools. School officials stated that all hiring protocols were followed, including background checks, fingerprinting, transcript review, and reference checks.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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