Deepfake video of Brazilian governor solicits fraudulent Pix donations
A deepfake video showing Pernambuco governor Raquel Lyra apparently requesting Pix donations circulated during her reelection campaign, leading to unauthorized Pix transfers to her account. Lyra filed a police report and attributed the coordinated attack to political opponents; the Polícia Civil de Pernambuco opened an inquiry.
What happened
A deepfake video of Pernambuco governor Raquel Lyra circulated among voters showing her at a political event with manipulated audio in which she appeared to solicit Pix payments from supporters, stating "Quem puder, me ajude com qualquer valor que estou precisando" (Whoever can, help me with any amount, I'm in need).
Following the video's circulation, Lyra began receiving small Pix deposits from unknown sources starting on Thursday, August 6. The deposits coincided with the release of her asset declaration by the Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE) on the same day.
Reported impact
The governor denied soliciting funds, stating "Eu adoro o bom humor pernambucano, mas tem gente confundindo criatividade com mentira. É óbvio que eu não estou pedindo dinheiro para ninguém" (I love Pernambuco's humor, but people are confusing creativity with lies. It's obvious I'm not asking anyone for money).
Lyra attributed the coordinated attack to political opponents, referring to it as an action by the "gabinete do ódio" (cabinet of hate).
Index analysis
The deepfake video appears to have been created using personal data that was allegedly obtained through criminal unauthorized access. The video combined footage of Lyra at a political event with synthetic audio mimicking her voice.
Governance controls
Lyra filed a police report (boletim de ocorrência) on Saturday, August 8. The Polícia Civil de Pernambuco opened an inquiry to identify those responsible.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.