Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has become the latest football star to be caught up in an AI-generated fraud linked to illegal betting websites.
Bruno Fernandes has reportedly fallen victim to a sophisticated deepfake scam after illegal online betting operators falsely used his identity to promote their gambling platforms.
According to The Guardian, offshore gambling sites Nightwin and QH88 created fake news articles, manipulated photographs and AI-generated videos to make it appear that Fernandes and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham had officially partnered with their brands.
One of the fake promotional campaigns allegedly featured a highly realistic AI-generated video showing Fernandes signing an ambassadorial contract with QH88 at Old Trafford. The report says the content was designed to convince customers that the endorsement was genuine.
Neither Fernandes’ representatives, Manchester United nor QH88 commented after being contacted by The Guardian.
The report also highlights how illegal gambling operators routinely misuse the names, images and trademarks of football clubs and players. Many of these websites operate from offshore jurisdictions through shell companies, making legal enforcement and copyright protection extremely difficult.
The incident comes shortly after Fernandes completed another outstanding season for Manchester United, where he helped the club finish third in the Premier League and broke the competition’s single-season assist record with 21 assists. However, he endured a disappointing FIFA World Cup campaign as Portugal exited in the Round of 16.
The case adds to growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence to create convincing deepfakes that exploit the identities of high-profile athletes for financial fraud.
