New York Man Charged With AI-Image Cyberstalking in Georgia
Published
Key Takeaways
- Defendant Charged: A New York individual was arraigned on a federal cyberstalking charge after a grand jury indictment early this month.
- AI Images Used: The man allegedly posted more than a dozen AI-generated nude images of a Georgia college student online.
- Tactics Deployed: He allegedly used fake social media and email accounts and spoofed online forum profiles to amplify the harassment.
Anthony Belford, 21, of New York, has been arraigned on a federal cyberstalking charge following a grand jury indictment returned on June 3, 2026, and appeared in federal court on June 10, 2026. The charge stems from an alleged three-month online harassment campaign targeting a college student in Georgia, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
How the Alleged Cyberstalking Scheme Worked
Between January and March 2025, Belford allegedly created fake social media and email accounts to harass, intimidate, and cause substantial emotional distress to the victim, according to legal documents.
He allegedly posted more than a dozen AI-generated nude images of the victim online and built fake accounts designed to appear as though they belonged to the victim to distribute that content.
Belford also allegedly impersonated the victim to spread racist and derogatory messages to student groups at the victim's college, the DOJ said. To amplify the campaign, he allegedly used spoofed accounts on an online forum to direct community members toward the fabricated material.
AI-Generated Nude Images
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg added that "cyberstalking and other forms of online abuse, just like physical violence, can ruin lives and disrupt communities."
Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said the case "shows that digital abuse can have very real consequences." The indictment contains only one count of cyberstalking.
In July, a young Spanish individual was investigated for generating nude images of female classmates with AI. In 2024, FIN7 hackers spread infostealers via fake AI-powered nudes-generating websites.
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