A federal judge in Ohio has sentenced a 32-year-old Columbus man to 15 years in prison for a high-tech extortion campaign that used artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit deepfakes of at least 20 victims. Michael G. Smith was sentenced following a federal investigation into his use of AI-generated media to harass and blackmail former classmates and acquaintances.
According to the Department of Justice, Smith targeted at least 20 victims between July 2022 and May 2023. He utilized artificial intelligence tools to transpose the faces of women he knew—including former high school and college classmates—onto existing sexually explicit videos and images. Once the deepfakes were created, Smith contacted the victims via anonymous accounts, demanding payments ranging from $300 to $1,000 or the delivery of “real” sexually explicit media.
The Mechanics of the Extortion Scheme
The prosecution’s case detailed a calculated campaign of cyberstalking and interstate communication with the intent to extort. Smith threatened to distribute the fabricated content to the victims’ family members, friends, and employers if they did not comply with his demands.
Smith pleaded guilty in February 2024 to one count of cyberstalking and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. The 180-month prison sentence reflects the escalating severity with which federal courts are treating AI-assisted sexual violence. Unlike traditional extortion, AI-driven “sextortion” creates a permanent digital threat where victims must contend with the possibility of fabricated content resurfacing indefinitely.
Resources for Victims of Deepfake Sextortion
The rise of AI-generated non-consensual sexual content (NCSC) has led to the development of specific tools designed to help victims regain control over their digital footprint. For those targeted by deepfake schemes or traditional sextortion, security experts and federal agencies recommend several immediate steps:
- NCMEC “Take It Down”: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) operates a free service that allows individuals to create digital fingerprints (hashes) of explicit images or videos. These hashes are shared with participating social media and tech platforms to automatically detect and remove the content before it can be widely shared.
- Preserve Evidence: Victims are advised not to delete the messages or the content sent by the extortionist. Saving screenshots, headers of emails, and account handles is critical for FBI and local law enforcement investigations.
- Cease Communication: Security guidance generally advises against paying the extortionist. Payments often lead to increased demands rather than the deletion of the material.
Federal officials noted during the sentencing that Smith’s actions caused significant psychological harm, forcing victims to live in fear that their professional and personal lives would be derailed by synthetic media. The 15-year sentence serves as a benchmark for how the legal system interprets the intersection of cyberstalking laws and generative AI technology.
