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High reported severity Investigation Opened

Finnish police investigate a small-town man suspected of using AI to fake nude images of dozens of women he knew and posting several hundred images of them on two porn sites; 23 criminal complaints by October 2026

Yle reported in May 2026 that a man in a small Finnish town is suspected of using AI to turn photos of women he knew, including friends, colleagues and relatives, into topless or fully nude images and posting them, among several hundred images of the women that included original clothed photos, on two pornography sites. The women did not know about the images until Yle contacted them. Police opened a preliminary investigation for unauthorised distribution of a sexual image and defamation. By 1 October 2026 the head of the investigation confirmed 23 criminal complaints, but no victim had yet been interviewed. Yle counts more than 50 victims, not all identified. The suspect was dismissed from his job and earlier denied to Yle by email that he knew about the matter.

AI system
Unidentified image tool
Occurred
Event date unknown
Reported
22 May 2026
Event location
Finland
What the AI did
Depicted or impersonated the person
Reported harm
Exploitation or Abuse
Whose AI use
Someone else’s AI use
Setting
Privacy · Relationships
Evidence
AI involvement reported · Causal attribution alleged · 3 sources, 2 underlying accounts
7 claims: 7 reported. 5 open questions
People reported harmed
At least 50 people

AI system as recorded: AI used to edit photographs of women into topless or fully nude images (Yle; Kaleva describes the police investigation as concerning sexual images edited with AI); the tool is not named

What Happened

Yle's MOT team followed the case for months and published a long investigation in late May 2026. Yle's 4 June follow-up says ordinary women had been edited in photographs with AI to appear topless or fully nude, that the victims knew nothing of the images before Yle contacted them, and that six victims filed criminal complaints during the reporting. Police had received 12 complaints by 4 June; the head of investigation said there was one suspect and would not comment on the total number of victims. According to Yle, more than 50 women appeared in the faked images, many living in the same town as the suspect, and many had worked with him. The images had been posted on two pornography sites, alongside many original clothed photos of the women; the suspect had uploaded more than 300 images to the second site, and both sites later removed them after requests from the police and victims. Kaleva (29 May) reported that police are investigating the distribution of AI-manipulated sexual images with several women as complainants, that the crime location is a small town in northern Finland, and that the preliminary investigation began in spring after six complaints. Yle's 1 October article says the head of investigation confirmed 23 complaints, that no victim had yet been interviewed although the investigation began in spring, that some victims contacted Yle because they had heard nothing from police and were confused by the slow pace, and that Yle's count of victims is more than 50, not all identified by police, so not all know about the images. Yle also reports that the material includes images in which complainants were teenagers; the offences under investigation do not so far include a child-image offence. The suspect was dismissed after Yle's May article; earlier the suspect denied to Yle by email knowing about the matter while condemning the story. Yle withholds the victims' names and the town to protect the victims.

Reported harm

Photos of women the suspect knew were allegedly edited with AI into nude images that were posted on two porn sites, among several hundred images of the women, without their knowledge; 23 complaints had been filed by October 2026 (Yle, citing the head of investigation; Kaleva).

Outcome

Ongoing

Police opened a preliminary investigation in spring 2026 for unauthorised distribution of a sexual image and defamation (Kaleva also lists distribution of information violating privacy). Complaints rose from six (Kaleva, 29 May) to 12 (Yle, 4 June) to 23 (Yle, 1 October). As of 1 October the device search was due to finish that week, no victim had been interviewed, one investigator worked the case alongside other duties, and the head of investigation expected it to reach consideration of charges in the first half of 2027. The images were removed from both sites after takedown requests by police and some victims. No charge or court proceeding is reported.

What remains unknown

  • When the images were made and posted; police began the investigation in spring 2026 and complaints were filed around May.
  • Which AI tool was used.
  • The exact number of women depicted; Yle counts more than 50 and police had not identified all of them.
  • Whether each of the 23 complaints comes from a different woman.
  • Whether charges will be brought; consideration of charges was expected in the first half of 2027.

What the evidence supports

AI involvement: reported. Yle reports that the women were edited in photographs with AI to appear topless or nude, and Kaleva describes the police investigation as concerning the distribution of sexual images edited with AI. The images were not inspected and no tool is named. The AI use is Yle's finding and Kaleva's description of the police investigation; no inspected text quotes police on the AI use, and it is untested in court. The images depict the women (depicted_or_impersonated).

7 claims: 7 reported. What the statuses mean

Reported Yle reports that a man living in a small town made nude images of dozens of women he knew with AI, editing their photographs to appear topless or fully nude; police, who say the case has one suspect, are investigating, and Kaleva describes the investigation as concerning the distribution of sexual images edited with AI.

Causal attribution. Yle's investigative finding and Kaleva's description of the police investigation; untested in court. The suspect earlier denied knowing about the matter (c6).

  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Poliisi on tutkinut hitaasti tapausta, jossa pikkukaupungissa asuva mies tehtaili tekoälyn avulla alastonkuvia kymmenistä itselleen tutuista naisista.'
  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Naiset oli muokattu valokuvissa tekoälyn avulla yläosattomiksi tai kokonaan alastomiksi.'; 'Poliisin mukaan tapauksessa on yksi epäilty.'
  • kaleva.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Poliisi tutkii tekoälyn avulla muokattujen seksuaalisten kuvien levittämistä, jossa asianomistajina eli uhreina on useita naisia.'; 'Tekopaikkana on pohjoissuomalainen pieni kaupunki ja rikoksista epäiltynä yksi keski-ikäinen mies.'
Reported The suspect had shared several hundred images of the victims in total on two pornography sites, including more than 300 images on the second site; after takedown requests by police and some victims, the images and the suspect's accounts were removed.

Causal attribution. Yle reporting with the head of investigation's account of the takedown requests.

  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Epäilty tekijä oli jakanut uhreista yhteensä useita satoja kuvia kahdelle eri pornosivustolle.'; 'Sekä poliisi että jotkut uhrit itse ovat tehneet sivustoille poistopyyntöjä, ja tekijän tilit kuvineen on sittemmin poistettu.'
  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Nyt kuvat on poistettu myös toiselta sivustolta. Tälle sivustolle epäilty tekijä oli ladannut yli 300 kuvaa.'
Reported The victims included the suspect's friends, colleagues and relatives, many living in the same small town; they did not know about the images until Yle contacted them, and six victims filed criminal complaints during Yle's reporting.

Causal attribution. Yle's investigative reporting.

  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Monet uhreiksi joutuneista naisista asuivat miehen kanssa samassa pienessä kaupungissa. Uhreissa oli hänen ystäviään, kollegoitaan ja jopa sukulaisiaan.'
  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Uhrit eivät tienneet kuvista mitään ennen Ylen yhteydenottoa. Yhteensä kuusi uhria teki rikosilmoituksen juttuprosessin aikana.'
Reported Police are investigating unauthorised distribution of a sexual image and defamation; complaints numbered six when the preliminary investigation began in spring (Kaleva, citing police), 12 by 4 June and 23 by 1 October 2026 (the head of investigation, via Yle).

Causal attribution. Statements by the head of investigation and police as relayed by Yle and Kaleva.

  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Tutkinnanjohtaja vahvistaa, että rikosilmoituksia on tähän mennessä tehty 23 kappaletta.'; 'Rikosnimikkeinä tutkinnassa ovat seksuaalisen kuvan luvaton levittäminen ja kunnianloukkaus.'
  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Poliisi on vastaanottanut yhteensä 12 rikosilmoitusta tapauksesta.'
  • kaleva.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Poliisi aloitti esitutkinnan kuluvan kevään aikana saatuaan yhteensä kuusi rikosilmoitusta miehen toiminnasta.'
Reported As of 1 October 2026 police had not interviewed any victim although the investigation began in spring; some victims contacted Yle because they had heard nothing from police and were confused by the slow pace; one investigator worked the case alongside other duties, and the head of investigation expected it to reach consideration of charges in the first half of 2027.

Causal attribution. Yle reporting of victims' contacts and the head of investigation's statements.

  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Poliisi ei ole kuullut vielä yhtään uhria, vaikka rikostutkinta alkoi jo keväällä.'; 'Osa rikosvyyhdin uhreista on ollut yhteydessä Yleen, koska poliisista ei ole kuulunut. He ovat olleet hämmentyneitä tutkinnan hitaudesta.'; 'Juttua on tutkinut vain yksi poliisitutkija muiden töidensä ohessa.'; 'Ensi vuoden alkupuolelle varmaan mennään.'
Reported The suspect was dismissed from his job after Yle's May article; earlier the suspect had denied to Yle by email knowing about the matter while condemning the story.

Causal attribution. Yle's and Kaleva's information; the dismissal is not confirmed by the employer in the inspected text. The denial is the suspect's own statement to Yle.

  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Tutkinta alkoi toukokuussa Ylen jutun julkaisun jälkeen. Tuolloin epäilty tekijä myös irtisanottiin työpaikastaan.'
  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Ylen tietojen mukaan jutun julkaisun jälkeen mies on irtisanottu tehtävistään.'; 'Aiemmin mies kiisti sähköpostitse Ylelle tietävänsä asiasta, mutta paheksui jutun tekemistä.'
  • kaleva.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Tiettävästi mies on irtisanottu rikosepäilyjen tultua tietoon.'
Reported Yle counts more than 50 victims, not all identified by police, so not all know about the images; Yle also reports that the material includes images in which complainants were teenagers, who are now adults.

Causal attribution. Yle's own count; the head of investigation would not comment on the total number of victims.

  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Ylen laskujen mukaan tapauksessa on uhreja jopa yli 50. Poliisi ei vielä ole tunnistanut heitä kaikkia, joten kaikki eivät ole tietoisia heistä tehdyistä alastonkuvista.'; 'Ylen tietojen mukaan aineistossa on myös kuvia, joissa asianomistajat ovat olleet teini-ikäisiä. He ovat nykyään aikuisia.'
  • yle.fi(opens in new tab) supports · Finnish
    'Ylen tietojen mukaan väärennettyihin alastonkuviin päätyi jopa yli 50 naista.'

Sources

3 sources inspected, from 2 underlying accounts. Sources that repeat one account do not corroborate each other.

How the sources were read, and where the events happened

Read live in Finnish on 2026-10-02 (Yle, 1 October 2026, by the MOT reporters). Quotes the unnamed head of investigation. Researcher translation; no professional translator. Applies to s1.

Read live in Finnish on 2026-10-02 (Yle MOT, 4 June 2026). Researcher translation. Applies to s2.

Read live in Finnish on 2026-10-02 (Kaleva, 29 May 2026); access is partial: only the free lede of five paragraphs was visible, the rest is behind the paywall. Attributes the investigation details to police and the employment details to Kaleva's own information. Researcher translation. Applies to s3.

Event countries: Finland. Affected-person countries: Finland. Court countries: Unknown.

Kaleva reports that the crime location is a small town in northern Finland, and Yle calls the case Finland's largest deepfake-nude case so far and says many victims lived in the same small town as the suspect. Not every victim's residence is stated. No court proceeding has started.

Reviewed for publication 2026-10-02: Published as a core case (depicted_or_impersonated): police are investigating a man suspected of AI-faking nude images of women he knew and posting them to porn sites, with 23 complaints confirmed by the head of investigation. Two chains read in Finnish (Yle's MOT investigation and Kaleva's police-sourced lede); every claim is reported. Yle withholds the victims, the town and the head of investigation's name; the suspect is unnamed here. Event date unknown; reported 22 May 2026.

People described

Women known to the suspect, including friends, colleagues and relatives, many of whom lived in the same small town as him; Yle reports that some images show complainants as teenagers, who are now adults (victims and place not named by Yle or police)

People reported harmed in this case

At least 50 people

0 AI participants · 50 other people harmed

Yle states that more than 50 women appear in the faked nude images ('Ylen tietojen mukaan väärennettyihin alastonkuviin päätyi jopa yli 50 naista', 4 June 2026; 'Ylen laskujen mukaan tapauksessa on uhreja jopa yli 50', 1 October 2026): documented minimum 50 depicted women. This is Yle's own count; the head of investigation would not comment on the total and police had not identified every victim. Police had 23 complaints by 1 October, but no source states that each complaint comes from a different woman, so 23 is not used as a person count. Six victims filed complaints during Yle's reporting (4 June).

Counted once within this case. The same person may appear in other cases. This count does not establish AI causation.

Tags

#deepfakes#non-consensual-intimate-imagery#nudification#pornography-sites#police-investigation#finnish-language

Cite this case

Compiled per our published methodology: verification statuses, sourcing standards, and corrections process.

APA

NOPE. (2026). Finnish police investigate a small-town man suspected of using AI to fake nude images of dozens of women he knew and posting several hundred images of them on two porn sites; 23 criminal complaints by October 2026. AI incidents. https://nope.net/incidents/2026-finland-small-town-ai-fake-nude-images-of-dozens-of-women-on-porn-sites-police-investigation

BibTeX

@misc{2026_finland_small_town_ai_fake_nude_images_of_dozens_of_women_on_porn_sites_police_investigation,
  title = {Finnish police investigate a small-town man suspected of using AI to fake nude images of dozens of women he knew and posting several hundred images of them on two porn sites; 23 criminal complaints by October 2026},
  author = {NOPE},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {AI incidents},
  url = {https://nope.net/incidents/2026-finland-small-town-ai-fake-nude-images-of-dozens-of-women-on-porn-sites-police-investigation}
}

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