Brazil: police say a group used deepfake videos of TV host Marcos Mion in fake restaurant promotions and victims paid for vouchers that did not exist

According to the Civil Police of the Federal District (PCDF), relayed by Brazilian outlets in January and May 2025, a criminal group used videos manipulated with deepfake technology of the image and voice of TV presenter Marcos Mion to promote false promotions of a restaurant chain (Outback). A delegate of the police cybercrime unit (DRCC) said the group used artificial intelligence to emulate the presenter's voice and won the victims' trust through advertising campaigns. ICL Notícias reports that the group modified the image and audio of real videos of artists, that people who clicked the advertisement were sent to fake sites to pay for a 'promotional voucher', and that the suspects used cryptocurrency to launder the money. The police statement quoted by CNN Brasil says the victims were directed to the fake sites, where they paid for discount vouchers that did not exist. In the first phase of Operation VoiceOver in January 2025, three suspects were arrested in the Federal District; Seu Crédito Digital and Portal Tela, relaying the police, describe dozens of victims with losses still being calculated, and ICL Notícias reports that, according to the police, there were victims across the country and 27 people reported the scam in four days. In the second phase on 9 May 2025, a man was arrested at his home in Santa Helena de Goiás; the police say he developed the cloned sites and confessed his role. Outback said in a statement that it publicises promotions only on its official channels, and the presenter's office said any campaign involving him is announced only on his official channels and that legal measures were under way. No individual victim, amount lost or forensic finding about the videos is described in the sources read.

According to the Federal District Civil Police, people who clicked fake restaurant promotions using AI-manipulated videos of presenter Marcos Mion paid on cloned websites for discount vouchers that did not exist; outlets relaying the police describe dozens of victims, with losses not totalled.

AI-manipulated videos of a well-known presenter gave fake restaurant promotions credibility; according to the police, people who clicked the advertisements were taken to cloned sites and paid for vouchers that did not exist. The generated likeness is the reported lure; the sites, payments and laundering were operated by the group.

Phase 1 of Operation VoiceOver (January 2025, Federal District): three suspects arrested, vehicles and devices seized. Phase 2 (9 May 2025): a man arrested at his home in Santa Helena de Goiás under a temporary arrest warrant; searches, bank-account freezes; police say he confessed to creating and maintaining the fraudulent sites. Police say the suspects will answer for electronic fraud, criminal association and money laundering. No trial outcome is reported in the sources read.