Malaysian MPs Targeted in AI Deepfake Blackmail Scheme Demanding Crypto

Malaysian politicians have become the latest victims of AI-powered blackmail, with threat actors demanding $100,000 in cryptocurrency. The scheme involved doctored pornographic images sent via email to parliamentary offices, complete with QR codes for payment.

MP Wong revealed the extortion attempt came to light on September 12, when his office received an email containing compromising AI-generated images and a demand for digital assets. The photos showed identical settings and compositions, differing only in the faces of targeted officials.

Authorities have launched investigations after multiple MPs reported identical threats. The crude nature of the scam - using identical backgrounds with only faces swapped - suggests amateurish execution despite the sophisticated technology involved.