Deepfakes Target Faith Leaders And Scam Congregants

AI-generated deepfake videos have impersonated pastors Jennifer LeClaire and Father Rafael Capó to solicit money and deceive congregants, prompting warnings in March 2025. LeClaire (nearly 600,000 YouTube followers) and Capó (over 112,000 Instagram followers) reported fake videos and profiles; the FBI advises looking for visual and audio distortions, and churches are urged to educate followers and adopt verification tools.