Northern Illinois University student charged over AI-generated deepfake CSAM
A Northern Illinois University student was charged with 21 felony counts after authorities found he used AI tools to create realistic deepfake nude images of female classmates and sold them online. The victims were minors between 13 and 17 years old at the time their original photos were taken. Investigators discovered more than 20,000 images of suspected child sexual abuse material on his devices.
What happened
Michael B. Erickson, a 19-year-old Northern Illinois University student, was charged with 21 felony counts related to child sexual abuse material after investigators discovered he used AI tools to create deepfake nude images of female classmates, most of whom he attended high school with.
Erickson uploaded real clothed photos of victims to Telegram and paid services to remove clothing using AI, creating the appearance of nudity. The victims were between 13 and 17 years old at the time the original photos were taken. Erickson disseminated more than 35 deepfake images of one victim between February 28 and March 6, 2025, and sold the images to others on Snapchat and other platforms at prices ranging from $5 to $20.
An online tip led investigators to Erickson's residence hall in May 2025. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators found more than 20,000 images of suspected child sexual abuse material on his devices, including videos, photos, and deepfakes. Several thousand additional images of unidentified minors were also discovered.
Reported impact
Multiple victims, the youngest as young as 13 years old, had their images used to create fake nude material without consent. One victim reported that a photo taken when she was 15 was used to generate the deepfakes, and she was still in high school when the imagery was created and disseminated.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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