Actress accuses ex-husband of creating AI-generated deepfake abuse material
German actress Collien Fernandes filed a criminal complaint against her ex-husband Christian Ulmen, alleging he created and distributed AI-generated deepfake pornographic images and videos of her without consent over several years. She went public with the allegations in March 2026, triggering broader debate about digital violence and prompting the German Justice Ministry to announce legislative changes to strengthen protections against such abuse.
What happened
Collien Fernandes, a German actress and television presenter, reported that her ex-husband Christian Ulmen created and distributed AI-generated deepfake pornographic images and videos of her without consent over several years. In late 2024, Ulmen allegedly confessed to creating the material. In December 2025, Fernandes filed a complaint at the District Court (Bezirksgericht) in Palma de Mallorca. She went public with the allegations in March 2026 through an article in Der Spiegel.
According to the Spiegel report, fake profiles were created in Fernandes's name using the deepfake material. The actress was unaware of the material's circulation for years before learning of Ulmen's involvement.
Reported impact
Fernandes stated: 'Du hast mich virtuell vergewaltigt' (You virtually raped me). Her public statement on Instagram received approximately 400,000 likes, was shared by over 200,000 people, and generated more than 20,000 comments within 19 hours.
The case prompted renewed public debate about digital violence and protection against deepfake abuse, particularly affecting women and young people.
Index analysis
Deepfake-generated sexual content is identified as a form of digital violence that disproportionately affects women, often targeting public figures. Such material can cause severe psychological harm and violation of dignity.
Governance controls
Following the case, German Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig announced that the state would strengthen efforts against digital violence to expedite removal of degrading images and enforce punishment against perpetrators. A draft of legislative changes was planned for spring 2026.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.