Deepfake AI of Justin Trudeau promoting crypto reportedly costs man $12K

A Canadian man has reportedly lost $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake AI scam video of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promoting cryptocurrency.

Since the rise of AI over the last few years, deepfake videos of popular influencers and other big names have taken over the ‘net.

They often take over existing popular channels, with Linus Tech Tips being one of many that have suffered from their account being hacked.

A Canadian man by the name of Stephen Henry reportedly fell victim to these videos back in November 2023 after finding one with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promoting cryptocurrency.

“It had Justin Trudeau endorsing it, so I thought, ‘Well this has to be good,” Henry told CTV News.

After finding the video of Trudeau promoting a platform that, in the AI’s words, could “safeguard their financial future,” the man decided to invest. However, after his account had grown to over $40,000, the man couldn’t withdraw his funds.

“I thought, ‘It’s got to be legitimate, it’s got to be perfect. If not, how could you get the prime minister?’ So I thought, ‘It’s got to be official,'” the man said. “When I tried to get something back, it’s the hardest process in the world.”

After seeing that it wouldn’t let him withdraw his funds, Stephen realized he had been scammed out of $12,000.

Henry added: “Now, I’m ripped off of all my chances of ever making a life. That was all the money I had.”