Indian Woman’s Identity Used by Ex for Explicit AI Content

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Recently, an incident shed light on how stolen identities can fuel the creation of viral social media personas. An Indian woman’s identity was covertly misused to establish an Instagram account titled “Babydoll Archi.” This account quickly gained immense popularity, amassing 1.4 million followers within days by posting explicit content.

“Babydoll Archi” burst onto the scene through a series of viral posts, including a seductive dance performed in a red sari set to a Romanian song called “Dame Un Grr,” as well as provocative images featuring well-known American adult film star Kendra Lust. The account’s rapid rise in popularity resulted in widespread attention, trending on Google, with numerous fan pages and meme creators jumping on the bandwagon.

However, an investigation soon uncovered the truth. According to a report from the BBC, the person operating “Babydoll Archi” was not a real woman. Instead, it was a fabricated persona using the stolen identity of a woman named Sanchi, who had been pseudonymized in the investigation. The revelation came after Sanchi’s brother filed a police complaint, which led to the arrest of Pratim Bora, Sanchi’s ex-boyfriend.

Senior police officer Sizal Agarwal, heading the inquiry, explained that Bora, a mechanical engineer and an AI enthusiast, had created the AI-based likeness of Sanchi out of revenge following a falling-out. Bora had used her personal photographs to build the profile, then utilized advanced tools like ChatGPT and Dzine to generate an AI version, which was then populated with deepfake images and videos. The account, created in 2020, initially featured morphing of her real pictures, but over time, Bora developed a full artificial persona.

According to Agarwal, the account gained momentum and visibility earlier this year. Sanchi, who no longer uses social media, only discovered the account when mainstream media started referring to “Babydoll Archi” as an influencer. Her family was kept in the dark about the account until it went viral.

The police received a complaint from Sanchi’s brother on July 11, which included photos and videos as evidence but did not directly accuse anyone. Despite lingering speculation in the media that “Babydoll Archi” was AI-generated, authorities confirmed there was no initial indication it was linked to a real individual.

Working closely with Instagram, authorities obtained information about the account’s creator. Once they identified Bora as the operator, police traced his residence in Tinsukia and arrested him on July 12. They seized his laptop, mobile phones, hard drives, and bank documents—since Bora had monetized the account. It’s estimated that Bora generated around 1 million Indian Rupees (roughly $13,000 USD) from the account, earning about 300,000 Rupees ($4,000 USD) in just five days leading up to his arrest.

As for Sanchi, she is currently overwhelmed but receiving counseling and support. Police emphasize that earlier intervention might have prevented the account from gaining so much traction, underscoring the importance of prompt action in cases of online abuse and identity theft.