A Taiwanese man surnamed Huang and his wife are suspected of organizing a “love scam group” and defrauding through artificial intelligence (AI) voice alteration and other technologies. Their criminal proceeds exceed 900 million yuan (US$900 million), with more than 20,000 victims. The Taipei District Attorney‘s Office sued 57 defendants on 2nd, seeking more than 25 years and more than 18 years for the man surnamed Huang and his wife, respectively.
According to Taiwanese media such as the Comprehensive Central News Agency and the United News Network, members of the group used female profiles to register accounts on dating platforms. After contacting the victims, they induced them to buy fish oil, mobile power supplies, and other goods. Then, posing as a “PR lady,” they chatted with the victims, cultivated relationships, and demanded money under the names of living expenses, medical fees, repayment of medical and beauty debts, and other items such as mobile phones.
The investigation found that a software engineer within the group designed an “AI voice-altering software” that could mimic female voices in conversations with victims.
The Taipei District Attorney‘s Office prosecuted 57 people, including the man surnamed Huang and his wife, on charges of violating the Fraud and Crime Hazard Prevention Ordinance and the Money Laundering Prevention Act.
The prosecution believes that the group defrauded men pursuing relationships, causing many people to lose all their savings and some victims to become indebted. It recommends that the court sentence the man surnamed Huang to more than 25 years in prison and his wife to more than 18 years in prison.