The individual allegedly responsible for targeting New Hampshire voters with an AI-generated robocall impersonating President Joe Biden controls a web of companies that provide political marketing, advertising and fundraising services, according to a review of court documents, federal campaign finance filings and tax records.
Authorities in New Hampshire have identified Walter Monk and a Texas company, Life Corporation, as the source of the calls, in which a synthetic version of Biden’s voice urged New Hampshire voters to stay away from the polls in last month’s primary.
The rapid proliferation of AI technologies has election officials on edge that the technology could be used to create a deluge of disinformation going into 2024, and investigators are racing to figure out just who was behind the operation in New Hampshire — which in the eyes of many experts has confirmed their fears about how AI might be used to maliciously influence voters.
Doing so will require unraveling a dense corporate structure. Monk and Life Corporation are obscure players within the world of political marketing, but a review by CyberScoop found that both the company and Monk are linked to at least 11 different corporate entities, all of which provide robocalling, political advertising, polling, fundraising and text messaging services.
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Monk, who is listed by the Better Business Bureau as the principal point of contact for Life Corporation, is also listed as the founder of another company, Voice Broadcasting Corporation, on its website. Voice Broadcasting advertises the sale of a database containing “hundreds of millions” of phone records for sales lead generation.
Court documents from a 2021 civil lawsuit filed in Texas against Life Corporation and Voice Broadcasting Inc. for sending unsolicited political fundraising texts identify both businesses as being located at identical addresses in Arlington, Texas.
That lawsuit, which was eventually dismissed, includes a document submitted by Life Corporation lawyers that detail dozens of political fundraising text messages the company sent to the plaintiff, seeking donations on behalf of Republican political candidates, including former President Donald Trump, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and other candidates in the lead-up to the 2020 U.S. elections.
The exact relationship between these political campaigns and Life Corporation remains unclear. In several of the text messages sent by Life, the messages addressed voters as if they were sent directly from political candidates. These text messages did not attempt to manipulate voters and did not feature any use of AI.
Typically, a vendor would need the express permission of a candidate to send text messages and fundraise on their behalf, according to Saurav Ghosh, an attorney who spent nearly seven years advising on enforcement matters at the Federal Election Commission’s Office of Legal Counsel.
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“Taking on the voice of a candidate, pretending to be them, that requires the candidate’s authorization,” Ghosh, now director of federal campaign finance reform for the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center, told CyberScoop.
Representatives of the Trump campaign and the offices of Graham and Jordan did not respond to questions about their relationship with Monk and the Life Corporation.
Life Corporation is but one part of a constellation of political marketing firms owned or controlled by Monk.
According to Texas tax records, Life Corporation is a fully owned subsidiary of Voice Ventures, which functions as a holding company of sorts for Monk’s other marketing firms.
Tax records for Voice Ventures reveal that it is the complete or partial owner of multiple other businesses. Voice Ventures is the sole owner of Contract Genie, Life Corporation, Voice Broadcasting and Web Welcomer, and owns a third of the firms Access Media Group, Access Advertising LLC, Right Way Media and Boltwell LLC.
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Contract Genie’s website bills itself as an automated recording playback system to deal with disgruntled customers. Web Welcomer describes itself as a sales-lead generating chat platform for websites to engage with customers. A website owned by Access Advertising LLC, TheJobsDriver, offers its clients job recruitment tools and “a wide range of productive media sources for recruitment, including social media, search engines, digital billboards, news feeds, even programmatic audio.”
The parent company, Voice Ventures, lists an Arlington, Texas address as its principal office. When reporters from CNN visited the location, they discovered a run-of-the-mill strip mall. A number of other companies share this address, including Text to Survey, whose website describes the company as a peer-to-peer text messaging service.
The 2021 civil suit in Texas identifies Amber Valdez as the CEO of Life Corporation, and her LinkedIn profile also describes her as the CEO of Voice Broadcasting, PollMakers and Text To Survey — which were all listed on a wall of the Arlington office photographed by the visiting CNN reporters. PollMakers’ website describes itself as an automated polling technology company capable of broadcasting 3,000 calls per minute for 2-7 cents per call.
CyberScoop has not been able to confirm whether all these businesses actually operate out of their listed Arlington, Texas business address. Legal experts told CyberScoop that Texas corporate disclosures laws are notoriously opaque and that it would be trivial to set up and maintain LLCs at a placeholder address.
This web of corporations has carved out a small niche catering toward political marketing. A CyberScoop review of FEC records indicate that companies linked to Monk received at least $180,000 in payments in robocalls, advertising and other services — the vast majority of which were in support of Republican candidates. The total may in fact be higher, with a CNN review of FEC filings finding approximately $770,000 in payments, including from Democratic groups, to firms linked to Monk.
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Ghosh, the former FEC lawyer, said the kind of independent expenditures detailed in the FEC filings involve the non-coordinated disbursement of funds spent by super PACs to influence an election and for messages that come with “expressed advocacy” and unequivocally urge the listener to support or defeat a clearly identified candidate.
“A typical independent expenditure with this kind of message would be where they talk about the candidate and say, ‘on Nov. 8, vote for [Candidate X]’ or give a slew of reasons for why they’re a terrible person and say ‘on November 8, vote against [Candidate X],’” Ghosh said.
Neither Monk nor Life Corporation — the firm singled out by New Hampshire authorities — have been formally charged with a crime. New Hampshire authorities indicated the incident is being investigated as a potential violation of state laws against bribery, intimidation or suppression of election procedures. State and federal authorities have issued cease-and-desist letters as well as document preservation notices and subpoenas to Life Corporation.
Neither Monk nor Valdez have extensive histories of personal political donations. FEC records indicate that a Walter Monk from Texas, who lists Voice Ventures Inc. as his employer, donated $5,000 in 2008 to a conservative political PAC based in Edwardsville, Kan. Another donation from Amber Valdez, who listed her employment as CEO of Life Corporation, sent $2,234 to Arizona Republican House candidate Paul Babeu in 2015.
Efforts to reach Monk, Valdez and the web of corporations to which they are linked were unsuccessful.
ERROL, N.H. (WHDH) – One person is dead and five others have been hospitalized after a head-on crash in Columbia, New Hampshire on Friday night, officials said.
Officers responding to a reported crash on Route 3 around 9 p.m. determined a Chevrolet Silverado heading southbound was struck head-on by a Chevrolet Camaro that was heading northbound and crossed the centerline, according to New Hampshire State Police.
Two adults and three children in the Silverado were taken to Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook. Two had non-life-threatening injuries and three had life-threatening injuries. All five were later transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
The driver of the Camaro, Courtney Diamond, 25, of Pelham, New Hampshire, was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Jacob Ingerson at (603) 846-3333 or Jacob.J.Ingerson@dos.nh.gov.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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Recently published data reflect the ongoing increases in the price of child care and decreases in access to care in New Hampshire, placing additional economic strain on Granite State families seeking affordable and high-quality care for their children. The price of child care for a family with an infant and a four-year old seeking center-based care averaged about $30,000 in 2025, up from $22,500 in 2017, while the number of licensed center and home-based child care providers has declined by 120 since 2017.
The national organization Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) released its 2025 annual report on May 13, 2026. The report outlines the state-by-state early childhood education landscape, including both the price of care and provider supply within each state. In New Hampshire, these data were collected through the CCAoA’s New Hampshire Child Care Resource and Referral Agency and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Together, these data provide valuable, and updated, insights into the state’s early childhood care landscape and the challenges Granite State families face in accessing and affording child care services.
Rising price of early childhood education in NH
Based on analysis conducted by CCAoA, the average price of child care in New Hampshire in 2025 remains high for Granite State families. The average price of care for an infant and toddler in center-based care was $16,462 and $15,262, respectively, in 2025. For home-based care, the 2025 average price was $12,017 for an infant and $11,732 for a toddler. Furthermore, for a family with an infant and toddler making approximately the median income for a married couple with two children under age 5 in New Hampshire, the price of center-based care for their children would amount to approximately 25% of their family income. This financial burden is even greater for a single or unmarried mother, earning the median income of approximately $52,000 in New Hampshire, as paying the full average price of center-based child care for an infant and toddler would consume 61% of family income.
Additionally, these prices in care have increased substantially over time. From 2017 to 2025, the average enrollment price of center-based care and home-based care increased 32% and 30%, respectively. The largest increase in tuition prices during this period was 33% for toddlers and 4-year-olds in center-based care, as well as for 4-year-olds in home-based care. These increases in tuition prices outpaced inflation during the same period.
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For many Granite State families, the price for child care tuition will represent their greatest annual expense, particularly for families with multiple children and those living in rural regions of the state. According to Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator, a family with two adults and two children living in Coos County, the New Hampshire county with the lowest cost of living, would spend on average 2.5 times more for center-based care for an infant and toddler than they would on housing. As affordability challenges and the overall cost of living continue to rise, some families may have to contend with difficult tradeoffs among essential household and family expenses, including child care services.
Although care for infants and toddlers are often the most expensive forms of care, child care-related expenses do not end once children enter kindergarten. Many families continue paying for before- and after-school programs, summer care, and school vacation coverage for years afterward. As a result, the costs outlined in this analysis likely represent only one portion of the broader child care expenses many Granite State families face.
Childcare supply challenges persist
While the price of child care tuition in New Hampshire remains high, the number of licensed providers has declined over time. The CCAoA’s report indicated that, in 2025, there were 613 licensed center-based programs and 104 home-based programs across New Hampshire. However, since 2017, the number of licensed center-based and home-based programs decreased by 10% and 32%, respectively. The greater closure rate in home-based programs across the State may have a disproportionate impact on families with low and moderate incomes seeking more affordable care options, as well as families in rural regions, communities of color, and families seeking non-traditional hour care, who rely more on this type of care to fill the gaps in available care from other providers. This decrease in number of providers, particulars those in home-based settings and in rural regions of the State, has likely placed further strain on family’s access to care, as they may have to travel longer distances for child care services.
Alongside the overall decline in child care providers during this period, the number of center-based programs participating in the New Hampshire Quality Rated Improvement System, or Granite Steps for Quality (GSQ), a statewide program designed to assess and improve the quality of care services in early childhood education settings, has decreased 16%. Of the remaining 99 providers that participated in the GSQ in 2025, only four reached the highest level of quality, or step 4 of the GSQ. These findings suggest that, as families navigate New Hampshire’s shrinking child care supply landscape in the State, they are encountering fewer options that offer recognized high-quality care services.
Families and providers continue to face growing financial pressures
The average tuition prices reported in the CCAoA’s analysis of the New Hampshire Early Childhood Education landscape do not necessarily reflect the cost of care all families pay for enrollment, or the cost providers pay for delivery of care services. Many families with low and moderate incomes qualify for the New Hampshire’s Child Care Scholarship Program (NHCCSP), a federal-State fiscal partnership that helps Granite State families afford child care through a tiered voucher system. Families who are eligible to participate in the NHCCSP may pay a weekly “cost share” of anywhere from $0 to 7% of their family income, with different tiers of eligibility depending on those family income levels. Families enrolled in the NHCCSP may also be charged a “co-payment” by the provider if tuition exceeds the weekly standard rates set by DHHS. In 2024, State policymakers expanded NHCCSP income eligibility for families, resulting in a significant increase in the number of families enrolled in the program, though this growth has slowed in recent months.
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Beyond the increase in eligibility for families in the 2024 expansion, policymakers also increased reimbursement rates for participating providers. While the provider reimbursement rates are set through the State’s Child Care Market Rate Survey, the prices only account for enrollment tuition prices. Consequently, these rates only capture what providers estimate families are willing and able to pay, but do not necessarily account for the provider costs for delivering high-quality care services and operating costs, including facility expenses, workforce and staff compensation, staff training, professional development training, as well as other costs. To supplement this gap in revenue, some providers turn to additional revenue streams such as grants, donations, and fundraising initiatives.
The rising price of child care tuition, coupled with the declining supply of providers in recent years, reflects the growing financial pressures families and child care providers face in New Hampshire. While programs such as the NHCCSP have an important and necessary role in reducing these barriers, additional State funding initiatives and policy strategies may be needed to more adequately address these challenges and provide meaningful financial relief for families seeking to access child care.
The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute is sharing these articles with the partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. NHFPI is an independent nonprofit organization that explores, develops and promotes public policies that foster economic opportunity and prosperity for all New Hampshire residents. For more information visit nhfpi.org. These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.
SALEM, N.H. — A Lowell High School freshman was identified on Friday as the victim of a fatal shooting in Salem, where authorities say the 15‑year‑old was found dead outside a home during the pre-dawn hours.
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella’s office said in a press release that police responding to a 911 call discovered the teen, identified as Wichai Saksene, just outside the residence on Orchard Terrace.
An autopsy later determined he died from a single gunshot wound to the chest, and his death has been ruled a homicide.
Authorities said the circumstances remain under active investigation but noted there is no known threat to the public, as all involved parties have been identified.
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In a message that began “sad news for your awareness,” Lowell Public Schools Superintendent Liam Skinner told School Committee members that Saksene was a Lowell High freshman and former student of Stoklosa Middle School and Lincoln Elementary School.
He added that central office staff are assisting Lowell High with communications to staff and families and that Student Support Services has activated a critical incident team to be at the high school on Monday.
The Salem Police Department stated in a social media post that they are working with the New Hampshire State Police Major Crimes Unit and Formella’s office to investigate the shooting.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
