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Police arrests 22-year-old suspect from South Thimphu for blackmail, defamation, and obscene transmissions
In a landmark cybercrime case, Bhutan has recorded its first-ever deepfake-related criminal prosecution after police arrested a 22-year-old man for using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate explicit fake images of minors and young women, which he then used for blackmail and harassment.
The suspect, a businessman currently residing in Lobesa, was arrested by South Thimphu police after multiple complaints were filed in August this year. He created AI-generated nude images of victims and coerced them into sharing real intimate photos and engaging in sex video calls under threats of public exposure.
Police shared that among the nine identified victims, the first two who lodged complaints were a 12-year-old and 16-year-old students. After the suspect’s arrest, investigators identified two more victims, one aged 18 and another whose details have been withheld. Five additional victims could not be traced as their accounts were deleted, but digital evidence suggested they too had been targeted.
Of the four identified victims, he harassed the first one via AI-manipulated images. However, he was blocked and the images were not circulated. In the second case, he harassed her with AI-manipulated nudes and blackmailed her into sharing semi-nude photos.
In another case, he blackmailed the victim for over 4 months forcing her into video call and screen recorded nude video. In the fourth case, he threatened and harassed her using AI-generated images uploaded to a Telegram porn group, making a screenshot, then deleting it and using it to intimidate the victim.
The suspect used multiple fake Facebook accounts to make initial contact, later switching to Telegram and WhatsApp to intensify threats. On Telegram, he operated with several SIM numbers, threatening to circulate AI-generated images in pornographic groups and on other social media platforms.
His actions caused significant emotional and psychological harm to victims and violated multiple provisions under the Penal Code of Bhutan and the BICMA Act 2013.
The case was first reported to South Thimphu Police Station on 18th August 2025 and 19th August 2025. Following digital forensics, analysis of bank statements, call detail records, and telecom data, the suspect was identified and arrested.
The case was forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) on 18th September 2025.
Probable charges under the penal code of Bhutan include defamation (Section 317), blackmail (Section 322), harassment (Section 462), and violation of the BICMA Act 2013 (Section 424 1&2).
South Thimphu Police shared that with this first ever case, people should be aware of the rising threat of deepfake exploitation, particularly targeting women and girls.
OC, South Thimphu Police Station urged the public to be highly selective about the personal photos and videos they share online, even privately, and to carefully review privacy settings to restrict who can view and download content from their social media accounts.
For those who fall victim to such crimes, police advise preserving all evidence by taking screenshots of the content, online profiles, and threats received. Victims are also encouraged to immediately file an official report with the police, as such acts are crimes. At the same time, victims should report the content to the platform and flag it as “non-consensual intimate imagery” for prompt removal.
Royal Bhutan Police emphasized that this case marks the first known instance of deepfake-related crime in Bhutan and serves as a reminder of the risks posed by AI misuse in online harassment and blackmail.
