Police officer arrested over AI-generated sexual deepfakes

A police officer has been arrested for allegedly creating and distributing sexually explicit deepfakes using artificial intelligence, according to police sources. The officer, who works at Dongdaemun Police Station in Seoul, was apprehended on September 16 on multiple charges, including possession of sexual abuse material and deepfakes, as well as creating and distributing such content.

During an investigation by the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, they discovered approximately 5,600 images and videos in the officer's possession. Out of these, around 2,600 were found to be deepfakes, 1,600 were identified as child and adolescent sexual abuse material, and 1,300 were illegally recorded videos. The police suspect that the officer was personally involved in creating and distributing some of the illicit content.

The case came to light when investigators from the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency were conducting an undercover investigation into a Telegram chat room where sexually explicit deepfakes were allegedly being shared. They obtained court approval in December of the previous year to carry out this investigation. An investigator entered the group using a concealed identity and tracked the activities within the chat room.