AI deepfake videos used to extort Rs 97 lakh from Patna…
A Patna hotel owner was extorted for Rs 97 lakh after criminals used AI-generated deepfake videos to threaten him with public exposure and legal action
- Incident date
- Jul 2026
- Target
- hotel owner in Patna
In July 2026, a hotel owner in Patna became the target of a sophisticated extortion scheme involving AI-generated deepfake content. The perpetrators leveraged synthesized imagery to blackmail the victim, ultimately coercing him into paying nearly one crore rupees.
What happened
The extortion plot was orchestrated by a mastermind identified as Abhishek Kumar, a resident of Muzaffarpur, who conspired with a woman and several other accomplices. The group created AI-generated deepfake videos depicting the hotel owner in obscene situations. Using these fabricated recordings, the accused threatened to release the footage publicly and implicate the victim in false legal cases unless their financial demands were met.
The group originally demanded Rs 1 crore several months prior to the police intervention. Under the pressure of these threats, the victim transferred a total of Rs 97 lakh to the perpetrators. These payments were executed in four separate tranches across locations in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, and Patna.
Following a formal complaint filed by the victim, local law enforcement registered an FIR on Saturday. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Vinita Sinha confirmed that police raids were conducted as part of the investigation. Authorities successfully recovered the final installment of the extortion money, amounting to Rs 20 lakh. The investigation into the three identified suspects and their associates remains ongoing.