The Prime Minister of Malaysia was blackmailed with AI deepfake demanding cryptocurrency.

Three Malaysian lawmakers, including Wong Chen (Subang), Rafizi Ramli (Pandan), and Mohammed Taufiq Johari (Sungai Petani), became victims of a blackmail scheme involving fake pornographic images created by AI. On September 12, Wong's assistant discovered a threatening email containing deepfake images and a QR code demanding 100,000 USD in cryptocurrency. Wong stated that Rafizi also received a similar email with identical content and images, differing only in the face. He dismissed rumors of a hacked phone and emphasized that this was an effort to intimidate lawmakers.

All three reported to the police and sought the assistance of technology and cryptocurrency experts to track down the perpetrators. Wong warned that if not addressed promptly, this behavior could escalate into a threat to parliamentary democracy. Rafizi stated that he had been cyber-attacked four times in the past nine months, while Taufiq urged the public to remain vigilant and not to succumb to extortion.