Yogyakarta Sultan Targeted in Deepfake Financial Scam
According to Tempo.co English, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, Governor of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, was targeted in a deepfake financial scam. An old video was manipulated with AI to alter audio and lip movements, making it appear as though the Sultan was promoting financial management or leasing services. The DIY Regional Government confirmed the video is fake and aims to deceive the public, particularly older demographics, into believing its content is genuine.
The Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) in Indonesia, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, has once again fallen victim to a deepfake. In this instance, an old video recording was manipulated—altering the audio and lip movements—to make it appear as though the Sultan of Yogyakarta was promoting financial management or leasing services. The DIY Regional Government confirmed that the footage circulating widely on social media is fake content created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The underlying motive is fraud. "The hoax video falsely attributed to the Governor is a typical scam," said Ditya Nanaryo Aji, Coordinator for Public Relations at the General Affairs, Public Relations, and Protocol Bureau of the DIY Regional Secretariat, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. The DIY Regional Government highlighted the impact of the deepfake, noting that although the visual and audio manipulations are considered fairly obvious, many social media users have responded positively to the video, indicating that some members of the public have been deceived.