Deepfake Zoom call impersonated Ukrainian foreign minister to US senator
A deepfake video and voice impersonated Ukraine's former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba in a Zoom call to US Senator Ben Cardin on 19 September 2024. The impersonator asked questions about supporting long-range missiles into Russian territory; Cardin recognized the deception and ended the call. The FBI and national security officials are investigating, with suspicions directed toward Russia, China, or Iran.
What happened
On 19 September 2024, Senator Ben Cardin received a pre-arranged Zoom call from someone purporting to be Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's former foreign minister. The caller's face and voice were generated by artificial intelligence to impersonate Kuleba.
During the call, the impersonator asked politically charged questions about supporting long-range missiles into Russian territory. Cardin grew suspicious when the individual began acting out of character and firmly pressing for answers, prompting him to end the call immediately.
Cardin alerted the US State Department, which confirmed the individual was not Kuleba. The Senate security office noted the deepfake had 'technical sophistication and believability'.
Reported impact
The incident raised alarms within Congress. Senate security officials issued a warning to staff to remain vigilant against deepfakes.
According to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, the call was 'an attempt to manipulate Senator Cardin into saying things that could be detrimental.'
Index analysis
National security officials and the FBI are investigating the incident. Intelligence sources suspect involvement from Russia, China, or Iran, though no confirmation of responsibility has been made.
The concern over Ukrainian missiles expressed in the deepfake call points attention toward Russia, particularly given Russian warnings about nuclear weapons in response to Ukrainian missile attacks on its territory.
Governance controls
Capitol Police confirmed the Zoom call was an attempt to impersonate a foreign official. The Senate security office issued notices about the incident to alert congressional staff.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.