Convict Uses AI to Forge Identity and Evade Arrest in Istanbul

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In Istanbul's Mecidiyeköy district, a convict with a 19-year prison sentence used AI to alter his facial image and create a fake biometric ID, successfully evading police and facial recognition systems for an extended period. He was eventually caught due to a police officer's observation of his wife's tattoo.[AI generated]

Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?

The use of AI to alter a photo for the purpose of creating a fake identity document directly led to harm by enabling a wanted criminal to evade law enforcement detection. The AI system's involvement in the development and use of the manipulated image was pivotal to the incident. This meets the criteria for an AI Incident because the AI system's use directly contributed to a violation of legal obligations and public safety, which is a form of harm under the framework.[AI generated]
AI principles
Robustness & digital securitySafety

Industries
Government, security, and defence

Affected stakeholders
Government

Harm types
Public interest

Severity
AI incident

AI system task:
Content generation


Articles about this incident or hazard

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Aranan hükümlü yapay zekayla fotoğrafını değiştirip kimlik çıkarmış; eşinin dövmesindeki isimden yakalandı

2026-02-25
HABERTURK.COM
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The use of AI to alter a photo for the purpose of creating a fake identity document directly led to harm by enabling a wanted criminal to evade law enforcement detection. The AI system's involvement in the development and use of the manipulated image was pivotal to the incident. This meets the criteria for an AI Incident because the AI system's use directly contributed to a violation of legal obligations and public safety, which is a form of harm under the framework.
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Yapay zekayla fotoğrafını değiştirip kimlik çıkarmış; eşinin dövmesindeki isimden yakalandı

2026-02-25
Hürriyet
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The use of AI to alter a photo for creating a fake identity document directly involves an AI system's use leading to harm through identity fraud. This constitutes an AI Incident because the AI system's use directly contributed to a criminal act causing harm. The article details the event and its consequences, not just a potential risk or a complementary update, so it fits the AI Incident classification.
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Aranan hükümlü yapay zekayla fotoğrafını değiştirip kimlik çıkarmış; eşinin dövmesindeki isimden yakalandı

2026-02-25
Haberler
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event explicitly involves the use of an AI system to generate a manipulated biometric photo for fraudulent identity purposes. This use directly caused harm by enabling a convicted criminal to evade capture and legal consequences, constituting a breach of legal obligations and public safety. The AI system's role is central and pivotal in the incident, as it allowed the creation of a highly realistic fake identity document that fooled official controls. Therefore, this qualifies as an AI Incident rather than a hazard or complementary information.
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Yapay Zeka ile Sahte Kimlik Skandalı - Son Dakika

2026-02-25
Son Dakika
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly states that the suspect used an AI program to merge facial images to produce a fake ID photo, which was then used to obtain official identity documents. This AI-enabled forgery directly caused harm by allowing a criminal to evade detection and continue illegal activities, thus impacting law enforcement and public safety. The AI system's development and use were pivotal in enabling this harm, meeting the criteria for an AI Incident under the framework.
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Aranan hükümlü, yapay zekayla fotoğrafını değiştirip kimlik çıkarmış!

2026-02-25
Cumhuriyet
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly describes the use of AI to generate a manipulated biometric photo that was used to create a fake identity card. This AI-enabled forgery directly contributed to the suspect's ability to avoid detection by police and face recognition systems, which is a violation of legal and security protocols. The harm includes facilitating criminal evasion and undermining law enforcement efforts, which falls under violations of applicable law and harm to community safety. The AI system's role is pivotal in enabling this fraud, meeting the criteria for an AI Incident.
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Yapay zekayla yüzünü değiştirdi, eşinin dövmesi ele verdi

2026-02-25
Memurlar.Net
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly states that the suspect used an AI program to alter his facial image by combining it with a relative's face to produce a fake biometric photo for a fraudulent identity card. This manipulation enabled the suspect to avoid detection by police and face recognition systems, allowing him to continue criminal activities undetected. The AI system's role was pivotal in enabling this identity fraud, which is a violation of legal rights and public safety. Hence, this qualifies as an AI Incident due to realized harm stemming from AI use in identity forgery and evasion of law enforcement.
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Yapay zekayla fotoğrafını değiştirip kimlik çıkartan hükümlü tutuklandı

2026-02-25
birgun.net
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event involves the use of an AI system to alter a photograph for the purpose of creating a fraudulent identity document. This AI use directly led to harm by allowing a convicted criminal to evade arrest for an extended period, which is a breach of legal obligations and public safety. The AI system's role in producing the fake photo was pivotal to the incident. Therefore, this qualifies as an AI Incident due to the realized harm and legal violations stemming from the AI-enabled forgery.
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Aranan hükümlü yakayı ele verdi: Şeytani oyun ayağına dolandı

2026-02-25
Yeni Akit Gazetesi
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The use of AI to create a fake identity to evade facial recognition is a misuse of AI technology that directly led to an attempt to obstruct law enforcement and evade justice. This constitutes a violation of legal frameworks and rights protection, fitting the definition of an AI Incident. Although no physical harm occurred, the AI system's role in facilitating criminal deception and evasion is pivotal and directly linked to the incident.
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Eşinin elindeki dövme yakalattı! Fotoğrafını yapay zekayla değiştirip sahte kimlik çıkarmış

2026-02-25
Halk TV
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event explicitly describes the use of an AI system to manipulate biometric photos for creating a fake identity card, which directly led to harm by enabling a criminal to avoid capture and continue illegal activities. The AI system's role is pivotal in the forgery and evasion, fulfilling the criteria for an AI Incident. The harm includes violation of legal frameworks, obstruction of law enforcement, and potential risks to public safety. Hence, the classification as AI Incident is appropriate.
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Yapay zekalı kaçağın hazin sonu: Nüfus Müdürlüğü'nü bile kandırmış: İşte o inanılmaz yöntem

2026-02-25
Yeniçağ Gazetesi
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event explicitly involves the use of an AI system to create a synthetic biometric photo for fraudulent identity documents, which directly led to harm including violation of legal rights and obstruction of law enforcement. The AI system's role was pivotal in enabling the suspect to evade capture for years, constituting an AI Incident under the framework. The harm includes violation of legal obligations and public safety risks, meeting the criteria for an AI Incident rather than a hazard or complementary information.