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AII-1001-24177
ReportedReported by fewer than three independent publishers, with no official finding.Supporting sources are pending verification.

AI-generated deepfake video falsely portrays Tony Elumelu endorsing crypto platform

An AI-generated deepfake video falsely showed Tony Elumelu endorsing a forex and cryptocurrency trading platform. Elumelu publicly disowned the video and warned of growing risks to digital trust, calling for stronger regulatory safeguards against AI-driven fraud.

16 March 2026 Β· Tony Elumelu Β· Misinformation and synthetic media
16 March 2026
AII-1001-24177
Quick facts
Category
Misinformation and synthetic media
Country
Nigeria
Date
16 March 2026
Drafted by
Raidu Incident Detection

What happened

An AI-generated deepfake video falsely portrayed Tony Elumelu endorsing a forex and cryptocurrency trading platform. Elumelu's team flagged the video, which he described as appearing realistic but being completely fabricated.

Reported impact

Elumelu warned the public about the growing risks of AI misuse and the threat to digital trust posed by the incident. He urged the public to remain vigilant and protect themselves from digital fraud.

Index analysis

Elumelu emphasised that he has no affiliation with any cryptocurrency or foreign exchange trading platforms and that his commitment to prosperity has been through long-term investments and empowering entrepreneurs.

Governance controls

Elumelu called on policymakers and regulators at local and international levels to establish safeguards and hold those using AI to scam people accountable. He stressed the need to create a safe digital environment where innovation can thrive without being overshadowed by fraud.

Classification

Category
Misinformation and synthetic media
Industry
Media, social platforms and marketing
Country
Nigeria
Harm status
Potential harm
Intent
Intentional
Timing
Unknown
Harm types
Economic or property, Public interest, Reputational
Harmed
Business
Failure modes
Deepfake video
Consequences
None recorded
AI systems
Unknown AI image generation system

Sources and evidence

Sources not yet published

This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.

How sources are verifiedSuggest a source for this incident