TV star farmer targeted in Al blackmail attempt

SCAMMERS THREATENED TO SHARE FAKE SEX VIDEO UNLESS HE PAID UP £2K

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

Gareth Wyn Jones (main) shared a post in which blackmailers demanded £2,000. The image of a woman has been obscured

A HIGH-profile farmer from North Wales has become the victim of a frightening AI blackmail attempt. Extortionists demanded £2,000 from Gareth Wyn Jones to stop them posting a fake “sex video” of him with a mystery naked woman.

The Conwy hill farmer believes he was targeted because he is among Europe's biggest agri-influencers - he has a huge online presence across multiple social media platforms. He highlighted the issue to warn people of the dangers of AI deepfakes being used for negative purposes.

Gareth was sent a threatening mock-up image along with bank details for immediate payment to prevent online publication. Refusing to be cowed, he threatened legal action and the fake sex video has yet to surface.

The message to Gareth was sent from an account likely to have been created using online photos from an innocent profile. Purporting to be the woman herself, the blackmailer wrote: “See, you have to pay me £2,000 or I will log into your Facebook account and post about your sex video with me and pictures.

“I will also hack your phone number and call your wife and show her, and I will also post it on social media. So to avoid this, just pay me £2,000 and be free.”