Associated Incidents
The Rio Grande do Sul Civil Police launched a major operation this Wednesday (1) against a sophisticated fraud scheme involving the creation of artificial intelligence-based deepfakes that used actress and model Gisele Bündchen as a poster girl for fake products.
Operation "Jungle Mode" was launched to dismantle the criminal organization involved in the electronic fraud that generated more than R$20 million.
The main scam used deepfake technology to produce fake videos of model Gisele Bündchen and other celebrities, promoting fictitious products and inducing victims to pay shipping fees.
The operation is executing 26 court orders—including seven arrest warrants and nine search and seizure warrants—in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Pernambuco, São Paulo, and Bahia.
Furthermore, the court also authorized the freezing of assets that could total up to R$210 million. According to the final tally, four people were arrested and three remain at large.
How the deepfakes were used
According to the police, the deepfakes were used to create fake videos and subsequently commit advertising fraud.
In addition to Gisele Bündchen, the scheme also produced fake videos of celebrities promoting "products that did not exist," according to the police report. Angélica Huck, Juliette, Maísa, and Sabrina Sato are among the celebrities whose images were used by criminals.
The scam that sparked the investigation involved a deepfake—defined as human images and sounds created using artificial intelligence—of the international model. The video made it appear as if the model was recommending a "free anti-wrinkle kit." The product, in reality, did not exist.
Promotion Scheme and "Criminal University"
The content generated by the deepfake was widely disseminated through fake profiles on social media, primarily Facebook and Instagram, deceiving victims interested in "unmissable" promotions and directing them to fraudulent websites to make payments.
The investigation revealed a well-defined hierarchical structure, headed by Levi Andrade da Silva Luz, who not only planned the crimes but also managed a "digital crime university" to instruct others in scams, according to police.
The "digital crime university" was created through an Instagram profile where Levi taught others how to become "digital predators."
"His Instagram profile had the slogan 'I teach you to think like a digital predator,' and offered mentoring to teach scam techniques. It was literally a school of crime operating in plain sight," explained Chief Isadora Galian, who led the investigation.
Even a blogger with over 110,000 followers on social media was part of the scheme. According to the police, Lais Rodrigues Moreira, known as "Japa," used social media to promote the scams and illegal gambling.
She acted as a "multiplier" for the criminal reach—when the scammers created fraudulent content, they simply tagged her in the posts so it would appear on her profile, reaching tens of thousands of people.
In addition to charges of fraud and money laundering, the group was accused of using illicit funds to flaunt luxurious assets and exploiting the vulnerability of people who believed in miraculous results.
Both Levi and Lais were arrested during the execution of warrants in São Paulo.
Statements
CNN is attempting to contact the artists who were victims of the criminals involved in the scheme for a statement. The report is also attempting to contact the defense attorneys for Levi de Andrade and Lais Rodrigues Moreira. The space remains open.