Federal prosecutors have brought charges against two men accused of using artificial intelligence to create and distribute non-consensual nude images and videos of female celebrities and private individuals, marking some of the earliest criminal cases under the landmark Take It Down Act.
The bipartisan legislation, signed into law last year by President Donald Trump, strengthens penalties for so-called “revenge porn” and AI-generated deepfakes. It aims to provide victims with faster mechanisms to remove harmful content from online platforms and hold perpetrators accountable. The measure garnered broad support across party lines, including public backing from First Lady Melania Trump.
The two defendants, who authorities say operated independently, now face up to two years in federal prison. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella in Brooklyn emphasized the gravity of the offenses, saying the men “used cutting-edge digital technology to create images that degraded and violated” dozens of women.
“This case makes clear that posting deepfake pornography is not a victimless crime,” Nocella added.
According to court complaints, one defendant, Shannon of New Jersey, allegedly published at least 240 albums of AI-generated pornography featuring prominent female politicians, musicians, and singers. The second defendant, Hernandez of Texas, is accused of posting deepfakes depicting both celebrities and ordinary private citizens, including recent high school graduates.
The indictments arrive amid growing national alarm over the proliferation of sexualized deepfakes online. Advances in accessible AI tools have made it easier than ever to fabricate realistic explicit imagery, often without the knowledge or consent of those depicted. Such content can spread rapidly across social media, causing profound emotional distress, reputational damage, and long-term psychological harm to victims.
The Take It Down Act represents a significant legislative response to this evolving threat. In addition to criminal penalties, the law requires platforms to act more swiftly on removal requests for non-consensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated material. It builds on earlier efforts to combat revenge porn while specifically addressing the unique challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence.
Recent cases underscore the urgency. Last month in Ohio, a man became the first person convicted under the new law after pleading guilty to using AI to manufacture child sexual abuse material. In March, two adolescent boys in Pennsylvania were placed on probation for creating explicit AI images of their classmates at an exclusive private school.
High-profile civil litigation has also emerged. Earlier this year, three high school students in Tennessee filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s xAI, alleging that the company’s Grok tools transformed their genuine photographs into sexually explicit images. The plaintiffs are seeking class-action status, claiming to represent thousands of other minors who have suffered similar violations.
The legislation was co-sponsored by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar. First Lady Melania Trump voiced support during the bill’s consideration, helping to highlight its importance in protecting women and families from digital exploitation.
“These images can ruin lives and reputations, but now that our bipartisan legislation is becoming law, victims will be able to have this material removed from social media platforms, and law enforcement can hold perpetrators accountable,” Klobuchar said in a statement. She described the law as “a major victory for victims of online abuse” and “a landmark move towards establishing common-sense rules of the road around social media and AI.”
Cruz echoed the bipartisan sentiment, stating, “Predators who weaponize new technology to post this exploitative filth will now rightfully face criminal consequences, and Big Tech will no longer be allowed to turn a blind eye to the spread of this vile material.”
The bill also received backing from major technology companies and industry groups. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, expressed support, as did the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a tech industry-supported think tank. In a statement following passage, the foundation called the measure “an important step forward that will help people pursue justice when they are victims of non-consensual intimate imagery, including deepfake images generated using AI.”
As artificial intelligence continues to advance, lawmakers and advocates say laws like the Take It Down Act will be critical in balancing innovation with protection for individuals—particularly women, celebrities, and young people—who find themselves targeted in this new digital frontier.
