Florida judge voice deepfake — Oct 2026

A Florida judge was disciplined by the state Supreme Court after she shared a deepfake audio recording of a fabricated telephone conversation between Florida Supreme Court justices and a Judicial Circuit chief judge. The incident resulted in a $10,000 fine, a 30-day suspension, and a public reprimand for the judge.

What happened

The incident began when the judge participated in an interview with a newspaper to discuss an alleged image crisis within the state judiciary. During the interview, she referenced a book containing denigrating statements about Florida judges, despite having never read the book herself. She admitted to taking no steps to authenticate the veracity of the book's claims.

To support her position, the judge provided the interviewer with an audio recording that purported to be a conversation between Florida Supreme Court justices and a Judicial Circuit chief judge. The recording was, in fact, a deepfake. Following an investigation by the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the Florida Supreme Court reviewed the matter. The court rejected the judge's argument that her actions were unintentional, noting that her conduct undermined public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary. The court emphasized that the judge had no basis to suggest a lack of trust in her peers and failed to verify the accuracy of the materials she relied upon. In addition to the fine and suspension, the judge was ordered to pay the costs of the proceedings.