Deepfake endorsements used to promote fraudulent health and investment products
AI-generated deepfake videos of Montenegrin surgeon and MP Vladimir Dobricanin and other public figures were reportedly used to fraudulently promote unproven health remedies and cryptocurrency investment schemes in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The deepfakes were posted on fake social media profiles linked to companies selling heavily discounted products, with some victims reportedly encouraged to abandon prescribed medical treatments.
What happened
Deepfake videos of Montenegrin surgeon and MP Vladimir Dobricanin were created using AI and published on fake Facebook and Instagram profiles to promote eyedrops, remedies for rheumatism, constipation, impotence, prostate problems and parasites. Sponsored ads linked to these fraudulent endorsements directed users to a website operated by Limited Charm, registered in Montenegro's Central Registry of Business Entities under the name Digital Edge, where heavily discounted products were sold.
In August 2025, a Bosnian fact-checking site reported that public figures in Bosnia and Herzegovina had their statements misused by a company called Nearest Edge, which presents itself as an AI-powered cryptocurrency trading platform. Fabricated stories targeting former Montenegrin Agriculture Minister Petar Ivanovic and journalist Drazen Zivkovic were used to lure users into investment schemes.
Reported impact
Dobricanin stated that the fraudulent schemes mislead citizens and sell products whose composition cannot be verified. He noted that people were often advised to stop prescribed therapies and use the fraudulent products, which he said could directly and indirectly endanger lives.
Index analysis
Montenegro's Computer Incident Response Team reported that misuse of images, voices, photos or videos of public figures through AI has been growing, with the largest increase observed since 2022 when AI-based tools became widely available and easy to use.
Governance controls
Previous investigations in 2021 and 2023 by authorities highlighted Digital Edge's use of manipulative online practices including fake endorsements, though the company continued operating with revenues exceeding 1.6 million euros in the prior year.
Classification
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.