Brazilian authorities have arrested four suspects accused of using deepfake videos of supermodel Gisele Bndchen and other celebrities in Instagram ads to defraud victims of millions of dollars.
Police froze assets across five states and uncovered more than 20 million reais 3.9 million in suspicious funds, according to Brazils anti-money laundering agency COAF. The operation marks one of the countrys first major crackdowns on the use of artificial intelligence to manipulate celebrity images for online scams.
The investigation began in August 2024 after a victim reported being deceived by an Instagram ad featuring an altered video of Bndchen promoting a skincare product. Another ad used her likeness to advertise a fake suitcase giveaway, where victims paid shipping fees for items that never arrived.
