Two men have been charged under the newly enacted “Take It Down Act” for allegedly using artificial intelligence to generate and distribute nude images and videos of dozens of female celebrities and private individuals.
Cornelius Shannon, 51, of New Jersey, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, of Texas, were arrested on May 20, 2026, and face separate criminal complaints in federal court in Brooklyn. According to the DOJ press release, Shannon published at least 360 albums of AI-generated deepfake pornography depicting approximately 90 victims, including well‑known actresses, singers, and political figures. Hernandez allegedly posted around 113 albums featuring roughly 50 identifiable women, some of whom he personally knew.
The “Take It Down Act” was signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2025 after passing with bipartisan support and was publicly backed by first lady Melania Trump. The law imposes up to two years in prison for publishing non‑consensual deepfake intimate images.