Bolivian criminal network used voice clone and deepfake to defraud job applicants
A Bolivian criminal network used artificial intelligence to clone the voice of the Education Minister and created a fake employment recruitment scheme targeting job seekers on social media. The network, operating partly from within a prison, defrauded at least 19 victims of approximately 5 million bolivianos before being dismantled by police.
What happened
A criminal network of seven people used artificial intelligence to clone the voice of Bolivia's Education Minister Omar V茅liz to perpetrate employment fraud, according to police. The network posted job offers on social media platforms including TikTok and Facebook, claiming to represent the Ministry of Education's Human Resources department.
Victims were contacted with calls using the cloned voice of the minister to persuade them that job offers were authentic. The network requested an initial payment of 3,500 bolivianos per applicant via QR code, claiming it was necessary to complete hiring. Two members recruited homeless people to open bank accounts used to receive fraudulent transfers.
Reported impact
The network defrauded at least 19 victims and accumulated approximately 5 million bolivianos through the scheme, according to Vice Minister Jhonny Aguilera. Members of the organization were charged with fraud, extortion, aggravated offenses involving multiple victims, criminal action, and organized crime.
Index analysis
One member of the network, Alfredo Ch. S., operated from inside San Roque prison in Chuquisaca and used a mobile phone smuggled into the facility to perform the voice cloning. Police seized mobile phones from the suspects and identified money transfers from at least 19 victims.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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