By Joseph Sipalan
Copyright scmp
Authorities in Malaysia are hunting the suspect behind a blackmail attempt on at least 10 lawmakers who received emails demanding US$100,000 payments to avoid the release of deepfake sex videos using their likenesses.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the members of parliament were sent similar emails over the weekend demanding that they pay the ransom via a QR code or the clips would be released to the public.
The emails included screenshots of videos that the government believes were made using artificial intelligence.
It is the largest number of Malaysian politicians ever to be targeted by a single smear campaign. Blackmailers had in the past focused on senior leaders and other influential individuals.
The emails used nearly identical wording and included similar screenshots
Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil
“Checks found that the emails used nearly identical wording and included similar screenshots [of the alleged videos] … believed to have been sent from the same email address,” Fahmi revealed in a statement on Sunday.
Fahmi, who is among the victims, said others who received the threat included former economy minister Rafizi Ramli, Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Adam Adli, and senior MP Wong Chen – all members of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s People’s Justice Party (PKR).
The email was also sent to Kedah State Executive Councillor Wong Chia Zhen of the opposition party Gerakan.
The latest targeting of Rafizi comes after a torrid few weeks for him. His 12-year-old son was in August injected with an unknown substance during an attack by two assailants wearing motorcycle helmets, who grabbed the child in a car park as he left a shopping centre with his mother.
Rafizi resigned as minister in May after losing a controversial contest for PKR’s deputy presidency. He has since been actively criticising cases of alleged corruption and abuse of power, especially involving government leaders and their associates.
“Many think it’s easy to be a politician. But if you take a stand, expose corruption or challenge entrenched interests, your daily life can be disrupted in ways like this,” Rafizi said.
Sex videos have been a common smear tactic in Malaysia’s fractious politics.
Anwar’s former aide was arrested in 2019 in connection with investigations into the release of a sex video that allegedly showed then economy minister Azmin Ali in bed with another man. Anwar himself was the subject of a smear campaign in 2011 when a sex video was released allegedly showing him having sex with an unidentified woman.
Both Anwar and Azmin, former allies, have denied the claims.
