Father Mike Schmitz and other pastors deepfake (Jan 2026)

AI deepfakes impersonating pastors are used in scams to try to get their congregations to send prayers and/or money. Father Mike Schmitz was impersonated in a video where a fake version of him urged viewers to click a link to secure their blessing. Other pastors have been impersonated via DMs, calls, and deepfakes. A pastor in the Ozarks had his Facebook account hacked, and a fake AI-generated certificate for cryptocurrency trading with his name on it was posted, urging congregants to join him. A megachurch in the Philippines received reports of deepfakes featuring its pastors.