An alleged pedophile has been charged with secretly filming children at Disney World parks in Florida in order to create and generate thousands of exploitative images using artificial intelligence, which he then distributed online.
“This case clearly highlights the ruthless exploitation that artificial intelligence (AI) can enable when used by someone who intends to do harm,” said Jim Cole, a former Department of Homeland Security agent who tracked the defendant’s online activities for years, telling Forbes on Friday.
According to a source close to the investigation, Justin Culmo admitted to filming young minor victims while they were enjoying the magical parks of Disney World in Florida with their parents, the American media reported.
But those seemingly innocuous videos were then allegedly used on AI image-generation platform Stable Diffusion to create child exploitation content and distribute it online, federal agents told a group of law enforcement officials in Australia.
The man also allegedly filmed footage at at least one high school, said Forbes, which obtained an account of the presentation.
This AI platform is particularly popular with malicious people because it does not filter requests, Cole said, unlike others. Chat GPT, for example, blocks violent or sexual requests.
Spy cameras
To catch the accused, investigators first managed to identify one of his alleged victims, which allowed them to trace the manipulated images back to him, the New York Post reported.
A search also allegedly revealed a multitude of child abuse images – including some of his own daughters – on the defendant’s various devices, as well as five spy cameras that were in a locked drawer in his desk, Forbes added, based on the federal authorities’ report.
Arrested last year, Justin Culmo reportedly pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexually abusing his two daughters, secretly filming minors, and posting child sexual abuse images online.
The suspect was not, however, charged with creating child sexual abuse material using AI.
He is expected to appear in court next month.
