A group of scammers in Brazil used Instagram ads with deepfake videos of supermodel Gisele Bundchen and other celebrities to trick people and make millions. Police arrested four suspects and froze assets in five states, uncovering over 20 million reais ($3.9 million) in suspicious funds.
The scam started coming to light in August 2024 when a victim reported an ad showing Bundchen promoting a skincare product. Other ads promised giveaways, like suitcases, but people who paid shipping fees never received anything.
Investigators found the group ran multiple scams, including fake betting platforms and deepfakes of other celebrities. Most victims lost small amounts, usually under $19, and rarely reported the crimes. Authorities say this allowed the criminals to operate widely without fear.
Brazil’s Supreme Court recently ruled that social media platforms must act fast to remove criminal ads or risk liability. Meta, which owns Instagram, said its rules forbid ads using public figures to scam people and that it removes such content when detected.
Bundchen previously warned her followers about fake videos using her image. Authorities are pursuing charges of online fraud and money laundering against the suspects, marking one of Brazil’s first major actions against AI-based celebrity scams.
