The Mazan trial, involving multiple defendants in rape cases, is nearing its conclusion, with prison sentences requested for the accused. Victim Gisèle Pélicot has gained prominence in the fight against violence toward women, but her story has been exploited on social media for profit, leading to fake accounts and misinformation. Additionally, a fraudulent website falsely claims to be her official site, using AI-generated content and misleading headlines to attract traffic and generate revenue.
Final Stages of the Mazan Trial
The trial concerning the rapes in Mazan is nearing its conclusion. On Wednesday, November 27, the public prosecutor sought prison sentences ranging from 4 to 20 years for the 51 co-defendants involved. A verdict is anticipated by December 20 at the latest in a case that has elevated Gisèle Pélicot, a victim of her husband, into a prominent figure in the battle against violence toward women.
Exploitation of a Victim’s Name on Social Media
This newfound prominence has unfortunately attracted individuals who exploit her story for financial gain, often spreading misinformation. Recent reports have highlighted X accounts and Instagram profiles that misuse the name ‘Gisèle Pélicot’, showcasing a sketch of the victim while sharing images of support for her.
One notable instance involves an account that shared what appeared to be a genuine cover of Vogue magazine from Germany paying tribute to Gisèle Pélicot. However, both accounts in question have been confirmed as fake, with the victim’s family stating that the primary complainant in the Mazan case does not engage with social media.
One particular X account amassed around 16,000 followers but displayed several inconsistencies. Its bio misleadingly stated it was based in ‘Francia’ rather than ‘France’, and many comments were written in Spanish or poorly translated French. Furthermore, the account circulated false details regarding the trial.
Social media journalist Victor Baissait highlighted that this deceptive account had expressed gratitude to influencer Nabilla Vergara for a fundraiser intended to cover the complainant’s legal expenses—a claim that contradicts the reality, as Gisèle Pélicot’s lawyers had declined this assistance and requested the fundraiser’s closure.
On November 27, following numerous reports of identity theft, the X account was suspended. However, the associated Instagram account remains active, misleadingly suggesting it is official, and currently boasts 3,700 followers and over 10,000 likes on its posts. Despite its unclear intentions, such accounts can be monetized in online markets, potentially generating around fifty euros for that follower count.
Fake Websites and AI-Generated Content
Additionally, a verification team, alongside Victor Baissait, uncovered a fraudulent website claiming to be the ‘official site of Gisèle Pélicot’, which has gained international attention due to the trial. The site features articles, some in French, with misleading headlines such as ‘The torchlight rally for Gisèle Pélicot shocks France during a dramatic evening outside the court’.
While real gatherings honoring the victim occurred during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25, the event described on this site is fictional, and the accompanying images were generated by artificial intelligence. Other articles on the site make outlandish claims, such as a nonexistent Netflix series about Gisèle Pélicot or fabricated accounts of her being attacked by ‘unidentified’ assailants.
The individual managing the website openly displays his name and email address across all articles. Upon communication, he revealed that he resides in India and created the site after observing the popularity of ‘Gisèle Pélicot’ on Google Trends. He acquired the domain for a minimal cost and admitted that the content is entirely generated by AI. ‘I rely on information gathered from Google to create my articles,’ he stated, while acknowledging his limited knowledge of Gisèle Pélicot’s story.
His primary motivation is to leverage trending topics to generate traffic to his site, ultimately aiming to monetize it through advertising. Despite managing several similar sites, he confesses that ‘giselepelicot.com’ currently attracts little traffic, yielding him almost no profits. However, he aspires to someday sell the domain for approximately $1,000.
The trend of AI-driven websites exploiting high-interest topics is not new. Last October, a fake site falsely announced a Halloween party in Dublin, which misled thousands of Irish citizens into participating in a non-existent event.
If you have questions or wish to report any unreliable information, please reach out to us at [email protected]. You can also connect with our team on X through the account @verif_TF1LCI.