Key Takeaways At least 10 Malaysian politicians, including Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, received AI-generated explicit video blackmail threats demanding $100,000 in cryptocurrency. All threat...
A sophisticated cyber-extortion campaign using artificial intelligence-generated explicit content has targeted at least 10 Malaysian politicians in what authorities describe as the largest coordinated deepfake blackmail operation ever aimed at the country's lawmakers.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed on Sunday that he was among the victims who received threatening emails demanding US$100,000 (approximately RM420,000) in cryptocurrency to prevent the release of fabricated explicit videos.
"The checks found that the emails used almost identical wording, included similar screenshots and were believed to have been sent from the same email address," Fahmi said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Sept 14).
The victim list includes several prominent political figures: Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli (former economy minister), Subang MP Wong Chen, Sungai Petani MP Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli, and multiple state-level officials from Selangor.
The blackmail campaign first came to light on September 12 when Wong Chen's parliamentary office received a threatening email containing AI-generated pornographic images with his face digitally inserted.
"My officer did not click on any links or scan the QR code. We immediately reported the matter to the Subang police, who promptly assigned an inspector to investigate," he said.
Wong Chen described the extortion attempt as "lazy and unprofessional," noting that investigators discovered the same poorly edited image was used across multiple victims with only the faces swapped.
"Other than our faces, both photos are identical … from the fold of the pillows and blanket, to the room, the bed and the naked person in the photo," Wong observed when comparing his threat with that received by Rafizi Ramli.
"This matter is under PDRM investigation, and MCMC will assist as the technical agency. So PDRM is the lead agency," Fahmi told reporters, confirming that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will provide technical support to police investigators.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigations Department director Comm Datuk M. Kumar confirmed that reports were lodged by Subang MP Wong Chen, Senator Datuk Nelson W Angang, Kulim state assemblyman Wong Chia Zhen and Sungai Petani MP Mohammed Taufiq Johari.
"All reports are being investigated under Section 385 of the Penal Code (putting a person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998," Kumar stated.
The legal penalties are substantial. "The government emphasises that sending offensive communications with the intent to threaten is an offence under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a fine of up to RM500,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both," according to Fahmi's official statement.
Rafizi Ramli revealed that this latest incident is part of a pattern of sophisticated cyber-attacks against him.
"In the last nine months, I've been targeted four times, with warnings from Apple on November 14, 2024, March 6, 2025, June 25, 2025, and September 3, 2025," he disclosed, linking the attacks to advanced spyware potentially connected to his political role.
"I echo Rafizi's concerns that these attacks may be more sinister, possibly aimed at accessing our devices or undermining parliamentary democracy," Wong Chen said, expressing concern that the campaign may represent broader threats to Malaysia's democratic institutions.
The case underscores Malaysia's ongoing battle with AI-enabled fraud. Earlier this year, Fahmi revealed that between January and August 2025, Malaysian authorities submitted 1,602 requests to remove AI-based scam content from social media platforms, achieving only an 84% compliance rate.
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