Unprecedented Blackmail Scheme Using Deepfake Technology

Artificial intelligence “Deepfake” technology, which has frequently made headlines in European countries and the US for targeting business leaders and celebrities in extortion schemes, was recently used to blackmail a private school owner in Samsun, Turkey. A cybercriminal network demanded 100,000 euros from businessman Ergin Zorlu in exchange for not disseminating fabricated explicit imagery. Zorlu published correspondence with the extortionists on his social media accounts while filing a criminal complaint with the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Threats and blackmail targeting Ergin Zorlu, the owner of a private educational institution in Samsun, began on social media before escalating after a malicious link was sent to his phone. According to allegations, unidentified perpetrators contacting Zorlu from an international phone number demanded payment, threatening to distribute fabricated explicit footage to his family if he refused to pay.

The perpetrators, whom Zorlu described as an organized crime syndicate, demanded 100,000 euros through threats and extortion. Gathering digital message logs and video evidence, Zorlu filed formal criminal complaints with the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices in Ankara and Samsun through his attorneys.

WARNING THE PUBLIC

Issuing a public warning across his social media profiles, Zorlu stated:

• “For some time, I have been contending with individuals whom I believe to be part of a criminal syndicate, subjecting me to threatening calls and messages while demanding substantial sums of money.”
• “However, on June 1, 2021, these threats and blackmail escalated toward my family and marriage using photos and videos that do not belong to me. I explicitly declare that these fabricated videos and images circulated under my name are completely fake.”

• “Since these perpetrators operate as a criminal ring that sends malware-laden links via messaging apps to compromise data stored on phones and computers—infiltrating social media and banking accounts—I consider it a civic duty to issue this public warning.”

  In messages sent to Zorlu, the blackmailers wrote: “I can put whatever I want here. I can superimpose you anywhere I want. It’s up to you. You can sit down and watch this video with your family,” thereby admitting that the footage was fabricated.

WHAT IS A DEEPFAKE?

A Deepfake is an advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technique based on deep learning, utilizing multiple machine learning algorithms to extract high-level feature representations from raw input data. This methodology possesses the ability to learn complex patterns from unstructured datasets such as human faces.

For instance, an AI model can collect behavioral and motion data of a subject. This data can subsequently be processed through Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to generate a synthetic deepfake video. Because the network continuously pits generator and discriminator models against each other, the synthetic outputs become increasingly indistinguishable from reality.

This realism turns deepfakes into a formidable cyber threat. Beyond photographs and video footage, GANs can synthesize other data modalities. The same deep learning and synthesis pipelines can also generate clone voices and synthetic audio.