New York’s District Attorney seized 12 websites hosting non-consensual deepfake content primarily featuring celebrities and public figures, marking what is believed to be the largest such seizure globally. Approximately 1,200 individuals were targeted by these AI-generated images and videos without their consent. The DA’s office emphasized that anyone can become a victim of deepfakes, especially in cases of domestic violence, and encouraged victims to seek help if they discover unauthorized content online.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Monday, New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the seizure of 12 websites hosting AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery primarily targeting celebrities and public figures. The DA's office claims this is the largest such action ever taken, involving approximately 1,200 people whose photos were manipulated into "hyper-realistic" images and videos depicting sexual conduct without their consent. The victims include politicians, first ladies of multiple countries, actors, athletes, musicians, social justice advocates, and social media influencers.
New York has had laws criminalizing sexually explicit deepfakes since 2023, which the DA’s office cited as the legal basis for these actions. Bragg emphasized that while celebrities are frequently targeted, anyone can be a victim of such crimes, especially in cases involving domestic violence where threats often include images and videos. He noted that deepfakes are increasingly being used to intimidate and harm victims, highlighting the broader implications beyond high-profile individuals.
Written for “Deepfake Website Bust NYC” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 9183 · logged 2026-09-14
The New York District Attorney announced on Monday that it has seized 12 websites hosting AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery, primarily of celebrities and public figures.
asserted
it → announce → celebrities
The DA’s office said it believes that this marks the largest seizure of such sites in history.
asserted
this → say → history
The people using and running these sites who are now under investigation used AI tools to turn approximately 1,200 people’s photos into “hyper-realistic” images and videos of them engaged in sexual conduct, according to the DA’s office.
uncertain
who → use → office
The images allegedly depicted “politicians, first ladies of multiple countries, primarily public-facing individuals, including actors, politicians, athletes, musicians, social justice advocates, and social media influencers.
uncertain
images → depict → actors
New York has had laws specifically criminalizing sexually explicit deepfakes in place since 2023.
asserted
York → have → 2023
Bragg referenced this legislation when asked what law the office is acting on.
asserted
office → reference → law
“While the victims of these sites are largely celebrities, we know that anyone can be a victim in these crimes, particularly in domestic violence cases, many of our intimate violence cases involve threats to at least images and videos, and we know that deepfakes are being used in the same way,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in the press conference Monday.
asserted
Bragg → know → conference
If you let us know that an image has been posted without your permission, without your consent, we can take action as long as that website is accessible from Manhattan.”
asserted
website → let → Manhattan
Bragg declined to answer whether images of minors were included in these websites, saying, “The investigation is ongoing.”
asserted
investigation → decline → websites
In June, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security seized two domains that were being used to publish “thousands of digitally forged images and videos depicting famous women as nude and sometimes engaged in sexual activity, without their consent,” and featured topics like “rape,” “forced,” and “degradation,” according to a press release.
uncertain
that → seize → release
Images on those sites allegedly depicted politicians, first ladies of multiple countries, royalty, journalists, television presenters, athletes, entertainers, and others.
uncertain
Images → depict → countries
And in May 2025, the massive deepfakes hosting site and forum MrDeepfakes.com shut down following an investigation by the Canadian Broadcasting Company, Der Spiegel, and Bellingcat.
uncertain
site → host → Company
Earlier this month, the first man in the country to be convicted of violating the Take It Down Act was sentenced to 15 years in prison, after investigators found more than 3,000 real and AI-generated abuse images on his devices.
asserted
investigators → convict → devices
Slightly altered images of women who are public figures are taking over social media sites like X.com, 404 Media reported last month.
asserted
Media → alter → X.com
These images are often not completely nude AI images of women, or face-swapped sexual material, but depict women as wearing more revealing clothing than they did in the real photo or video, or with digitally altered bodies.
asserted
they → swap → bodies
The DA’s office is encouraging victims of deepfakes to contact its Cyber Crime Bureau at (212) 335-9600.
asserted
office → encourage → 9600
Bragg said targets of deepfakes might not know that something can be done, and wants them to know there’s a “cop on the beat.”
uncertain
them → say → beat
“Our message to the people who are creating and publishing this content: What you are doing is a crime.
asserted
doing → create → What
We are investigating, and support survivors in taking down this content and seeking accountability for folks who break the law,” Bragg said.
asserted
Bragg → investigate → law
