Anthony Belford, a New York resident, was federally charged with cyberstalking for allegedly creating multiple fake social media and email accounts to impersonate and harass a Georgia college student. Between January and March 2025, Belford distributed AI-generated nude images of the victim and spread false racist statements attributed to the victim. The harassment continued after the victim transferred colleges. The defendant used platforms including Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, X, Strava, and Yahoo to conduct this campaign. The Justice Department emphasized that sharing or threatening to share intimate images without consent, including AI-generated ones, is illegal under federal law.

The victim suffered harassment, intimidation, and substantial emotional distress due to the distribution of AI-generated nude images and false racist messages. The case underscores the potential for AI-generated content to be weaponized in cyberstalking and online abuse. It also demonstrates the challenges victims face in protecting their reputation and privacy when attackers use multiple spoofed accounts across various platforms.

Federal law prohibits sharing or threatening to share intimate images without consent, including AI-generated ones. Victims should report violations to the FBI and notify the Federal Trade Commission if online platforms do not remove such content within 48 hours of a removal request. No software patch or technical fix applies, as this is a criminal misuse of AI-generated content rather than a software vulnerability. Law enforcement action and platform content removal are the primary mitigations.