Dutch Police Identify Creator of Deepfake Porn Featuring Famous Dutch Individuals
amsterdam, woensdag, 13 augustus 2025.
The Dutch police have identified a 73-year-old man from North Holland as the alleged creator of deepfake porn videos featuring famous Dutch individuals, including Crown Princess Amalia. The videos circulated on the website ‘MrDeepFakes’, which has been taken offline since May 2025. The incident underscores the severity of deepfake technology and the need for stricter regulation. The Public Prosecution Service is now awaiting the investigation file to make a decision.
Arrest and Investigation
The 73-year-old man from North Holland was interrogated by the police regarding the creation of deepfake porn videos featuring famous Dutch individuals. The Public Prosecution Service is now awaiting the investigation file to decide on any further steps. The suspect was not arrested, but his home was searched. The website ‘MrDeepFakes’, where the videos were distributed, attracted millions of visitors monthly and ceased operations entirely in May 2025 [1][3].
Impact and Victims
The website ‘MrDeepFakes’ was notorious for fake pornographic images of dozens of famous Dutch individuals, including Crown Princess Amalia, Caroline van der Plas, and Helène Hendriks. 95% of the videos featured deepfakes of female celebrities. The impact of these videos has been severe, with victims suffering significant emotional and psychological damage [1][3][4].
International Cooperation
In addition to identifying the 73-year-old Dutchman, there are calls for the alleged mastermind behind the platform, a 36-year-old Canadian pharmacist, to be extradited. Political parties BBB, VVD, and GroenLinks-PvdA want to submit a request to the Public Prosecution Service to arrange this extradition. However, the distribution of pornographic deepfakes is not yet criminalised in Canada, complicating the extradition process [1][3][4].
Judiciary and Legislation
In the Netherlands, the first conviction for creating a deepfake video occurred in 2023. A man from Amersfoort received a conditional community service sentence after creating and distributing fake pornographic content. This precedent highlights the need for stricter regulations to combat such crimes [3][4].
Technological Challenges
The rapidly evolving deepfake technology presents ongoing challenges in combating fake news and fraudulent activities. Generative adversarial networks (GANs), the technological foundation of deepfakes, are becoming increasingly advanced, making it harder to verify the authenticity of media. Detection systems must continuously be updated to keep up with these technological advancements [2].
Media Literacy and Democracy
The incident involving the deepfake porn videos underscores the urgency of improving media literacy and democratic protection. Trust in media is crucial for the functioning of democracies, and deepfakes can undermine this trust. Education and awareness campaigns play a vital role in informing the public about the risks and how to identify them [2].
Practical Tips for Readers
To identify fake news and deepfakes, readers can apply the following practical tips: check the source of the news, look for inconsistencies in the images or sound, and use verification tools such as reverse image search. Additionally, it is important to consult multiple reliable sources before accepting information as true [2].