Woman detained for sextortion of 300+ men using AI-generated image in Spain
A 26-year-old woman in Spain created AI-generated images of herself and used them on social media to deceive over 300 men, extracting sexually explicit photos and extorting payments from them by threatening to share the content. Police detained her following an operation that began in Málaga and identified at least 300 victims based on financial records.
What happened
A 26-year-old woman in Spain used artificial intelligence to create a fictitious image of herself with an unrealistic body and presented it on social media to deceive men.
She gained the trust of men who contacted her through the fake profile, then solicited sexually explicit images from them and threatened to distribute the content to their families and acquaintances if they did not make payments via bank transfer.
The woman operated alone using minimal resources: a smartphone with a photo editing app and a selfie lighting device. One of her social media accounts accumulated over 13,000 followers.
Reported impact
Police detected at least 300 victims based on bank transfers to the suspect's accounts, with payment descriptions including phrases such as 'payment to stop threats' and 'delete please.'
Most victims did not file formal complaints for personal reasons.
Index analysis
The woman's targeting strategy involved maintaining a consistent fake profile over time to facilitate recruitment and establish contact with men.
Governance controls
Operation 'Curvas' was conducted jointly by cybercrimes agents from the Málaga Provincial Police and judicial police from San Sebastián, initiated after the first sextortion complaints were filed in those cities.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.