AI-Generated Deepfake Video Falsely Portrays Indian Finance Minister Endorsing Fraudulent Scheme
A deepfake video circulated online falsely showing India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman endorsing a fraudulent investment scheme promising returns of ₹5.5 lakh on an investment of ₹22,000 within a week. The government's fact-checking arm PIB Fact Check debunked the AI-generated video and warned citizens against the misinformation.
What happened
A viral video circulated online purporting to show Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman endorsing an investment scheme claiming returns of ₹5.5 lakh within a week for an initial investment of ₹22,000.
PIB Fact Check, the government's fact-checking arm, debunked the video on April 16, 2026, stating it was fake and AI-generated.
Reported impact
The government clarified that neither the Government of India nor the Finance Minister was endorsing any such investment scheme, and warned citizens against falling for the misinformation.
Index analysis
The video used artificial intelligence to generate a synthetic depiction of a senior government official, creating a convincing but false endorsement of a fraudulent financial scheme designed to deceive citizens into making investments.
Governance controls
PIB Fact Check appealed to users to report and flag suspicious content to curb the spread of misinformation, and advised citizens to verify such claims through official government sources before taking any financial decisions.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.