In a disturbing case highlighting the potential dangers of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology, a New Jersey man has been arrested and charged with defrauding seniors in Texas. Roman Guzmon from North Brunswick stands accused of utilizing voice cloning technology to deceive victims and extract thousands of dollars from them.
Law enforcement officials in Harris County, TX, claim that the 26-year-old Guzman employed AI-driven voice cloning to carry out his elaborate scheme, targeting vulnerable individuals. One particularly egregious incident involved convincing a woman that her son had caused a drunk driving accident resulting in the injury and death of a baby. Guzman allegedly cloned the son’s voice and exploited the emotional distress to extort tens of thousands of dollars in “bail money.”
Guzman was apprehended by North Brunswick Police and is currently held in the Middlesex County lockup, awaiting extradition to Texas to face charges.
The rise of AI and deepfake technology in criminal enterprises and consumer scams has drawn significant concern from law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies. Scammers are increasingly leveraging AI programs, originally designed for medical purposes and Hollywood special effects, to manipulate voices and deceive unsuspecting individuals. These programs, while expensive, can be acquired by nefarious groups with the financial means to do so.
New Jersey State Senator Doug Steinhardt has introduced legislation that aims to broaden the scope of identity theft laws to encompass fraudulent impersonation or false depiction using artificial intelligence or deepfake technology. If passed and signed into law, the bill would enable the prosecution of individuals involved in deepfake-based scams or criminal activities as second-degree crimes, carrying penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
Why only in NJ. Laws to protect us from the AI SHOULD BE FEDERAL!