BERLIN — German television personality Collien Fernandes has filed a criminal complaint claiming that pornographic images fabricated with artificial-intelligence “deepfake” technology were disseminated online by her former husband, law-enforcement officials said Tuesday.
According to documents reviewed by SourceRated, the 42-year-old presenter approached police in Munich last week after friends alerted her to explicit pictures that appeared to show her engaging in sexual acts. Forensic examiners later determined the photos were synthetically generated, two people familiar with the inquiry said.
Fernandes’s ex-husband, film producer Nico Schwanz, “categorically denies any involvement,” his attorney stated in an e-mailed response. “Mr. Schwanz has not produced, shared or possessed any manipulated material of Ms. Fernandes and welcomes a thorough investigation.” The couple divorced in 2022 after nine years of marriage.
The Bavarian cyber-crime unit confirmed it has opened a preliminary probe into the unauthorized distribution of intimate images and possible violations of Germany’s strict personality-rights statutes. No charges have been filed, and investigators are still tracing the digital origin of the files, a spokesperson said.
While deepfake political videos have rattled election officials from Washington to Warsaw, the Fernandes case is the most high-profile instance in Germany of synthetic pornography targeting a public figure. “It shows how quickly reputations can be destroyed when AI tools are weaponized,” said Prof. Miriam Vogt, a media-law scholar at the University of Cologne. “Victims often have little recourse once content spreads across encrypted channels and foreign platforms.”
German lawmakers are currently drafting amendments that would criminalize the mere creation of non-consensual deepfake pornography. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann told reporters on Monday that the Fernandes allegations illustrate “a legislative gap we intend to close before the summer recess.”
Digital-rights advocates caution against overreach. “We need targeted measures against image-based abuse, not a blanket ban on generative AI,” argued Konstantin von Notz, tech spokesman for the Green Party, warning that poorly written statutes could stifle legitimate innovation.
For Fernandes, the priority is damage control. In a statement provided through her publicist, she said she hopes the inquiry “sets a precedent that no woman — famous or not — has to silently endure this violation.”
The investigation is expected to take several weeks as police seek cooperation from overseas web-hosting companies. Analysts say the outcome could influence EU-wide negotiations over the forthcoming Artificial Intelligence Act and shape how other member states tackle deepfake abuse.