Dominican Republic passes new AI crime law as deepfake phishing threats surge

The Dominican Republic has approved Law 74‑25, amending its penal code to criminalize a range of AI‑enabled offenses such as deepfake‑based extortion, cyber‑harassment, malicious AI‑generated content and unauthorized financial intermediation. The reform updates a code that had remained unchanged for 140 years and builds on the 2007 Law 53‑07 on high‑technology crimes. Authorities note that effective enforcement will depend on forensic and investigative capacity, as well as international cooperation under frameworks like the Budapest Convention.

At the same time, Magnific’s security chief Daniel Púa warns that AI‑driven phishing has evolved into a sophisticated threat that uses cloned voices and deepfake video calls to impersonate CEOs or family members. He cites a Hong Kong case in which a fraudulent video call resulted in a $25 million transfer, and cites data showing a 142 % rise in voice‑phishing (vishing) in 2025. Púa recommends a “second‑factor” approval process, such as a secret family word, to counter these attacks.