Israeli Singer Shlomi Shabat Files Police Complaint Over Fake AI Video Claiming He Suffered Stroke
“We trust the Israeli police to take proper action,” says Shabat’s team, after a deepfake video falsely depicted the singer recounting a serious health scare.
In a first public response, acclaimed Israeli singer Shlomi Shabat, 70, has filed a formal police complaint following the circulation of a fake AI-generated video in which he appears to describe suffering a stroke and receiving treatment from a well-known Israeli doctor. The clip sparked widespread concern among fans and those close to the singer, prompting swift legal action.
As mako first reported, the video—which was generated using artificial intelligence—shows a fabricated version of Shabat recounting a detailed medical crisis, including a stroke that allegedly left him partially paralyzed. In the fabricated clip, the AI voice states: “Four years ago I had a stroke. It all happened suddenly—I woke up in terrible pain, and half my body just stopped functioning. I had suffered from high blood pressure for years—almost 200, with ringing in my ears, headaches, weakness. All doctors told me was: ‘Take your meds.’”
The fake persona goes on to falsely claim: “I took pill after pill, even had injections, but nothing worked. Then the stroke happened. Six months of rehab—I couldn’t talk properly, couldn’t walk, couldn’t live. I thought I’d be disabled forever. But fortunately, there are still honest doctors in this world. One of them is Dr. Ronni Gamzu—his formula helped me recover.”
Gamzu, notably, is a gynecologist by training and a prominent public health figure, making the endorsement in the fake video even more bizarre and misleading.
Following the video's release, Shabat reportedly received a flood of messages from concerned friends, family, and fans. On Tuesday, he filed a police complaint to identify those behind the deepfake and prevent the continued spread of the fraudulent content.
A representative for Shabat confirmed the legal action, stating: “Videos like this caused considerable distress to those around Shlomi. We trust the Israeli police will carry out a thorough investigation and bring the responsible party to justice.”
The case highlights growing concerns about the use of artificial intelligence to create misleading and potentially harmful deepfake content, especially involving public figures.