AI Deepfake Deception The Chilling Tale Of Babydoll Archi
In a disturbing fusion of scorned love and technological prowess, a modern revenge plot evolved into a profitable, illicit enterprise. Pratim Bora, a mechanical engineer from Assam, weaponized artificial intelligence to retaliate against a former girlfriend. Using just one of her photos, he created a completely fabricated online persona named Babydoll Archi, complete with explicit, AI-generated images and videos. This digital ghost quickly became a viral sensation, underscoring a chilling new reality: in the age of AI, seeing is no longer believing.
Babydoll Archi, a viral porn persona, was nothing but an AI-generated illusion built from a single photo by a scorned ex. (Image: Instagram/ Amira Ishtara)
A Viral Sensation Built on a Lie
The Instagram account for Babydoll Archi, created in August 2020, exploded in popularity, amassing over 1.3 million followers. The persona went viral after a saree transformation reel set to the popular song "Dame Un Grrr" was posted on June 26. The illusion was so convincing that it fooled millions.
The deception deepened when a digitally altered image featuring Archi with American adult entertainment star Kendra Lust was shared, fueling rumors of a debut in the American porn industry. This single post caused the account's followers to skyrocket from 82,000 to over 1.2 million in just days.
To make the character more believable, Bora crafted an elaborate and sympathetic backstory. He claimed Babydoll Archi had been trapped in prostitution for years and was paying off a debt for her freedom. Posts were even location-tagged to Delhi's red-light district to add a layer of authenticity. This intricate narrative, combined with near-flawless visuals and videos showing Archi traveling across India, created a compelling but entirely false reality.
From Personal Revenge to Profitable Deception
What began as a calculated act of revenge against his ex-girlfriend, with whom he reportedly studied, soon morphed into a business venture. Realizing the potential for financial gain, Bora began producing the AI-generated pornographic content on a large scale. He allegedly used a suite of AI platforms, including Midjourney AI, Desire AI, and OpenArt AI, to superimpose the victim's face onto explicit visuals.
The content was then uploaded to pornography websites and promoted through the Babydoll Archi persona. Bora monetized this scheme through subscriptions, turning his digital assault into a source of income. Dibrugarh police estimated his earnings could be around Rs 10 lakh, but believe this may only be the tip of the iceberg.
The Meticulous Plan Unravels
The entire scheme came crashing down when the real woman whose face was being used filed a cyber defamation complaint with the police in Dibrugarh, Assam. The investigation quickly led them to Pratim Bora, who was working from home in Assam. He was tracked and arrested in Tinsukia on the night of July 12.
During interrogation, Bora admitted to creating the content and setting up fake accounts to distribute it. Police confirmed that all the images and videos were deepfakes created with AI software. Investigators seized his financial documents and are working to uncover the full scale of the operation.
Sizal Agarwal, the Dibrugarh SSP-in-charge, issued a stern public warning, stating that anyone found sharing or abusively commenting on the fake content, even after knowing its origin, would face legal consequences.
The Dark Side of AI: A Modern Cautionary Tale
The story of Babydoll Archi serves as a stark and terrifying reminder of the dangerous potential of AI tools in the wrong hands. It highlights how easily technology can be weaponized for harassment, defamation, and financial crime. This case has become a powerful lesson for internet users everywhere: the line between reality and digital fabrication has been irrevocably blurred. In an era of advanced AI, the old adage of trusting what you see is now a dangerous assumption.
