Marek Novák targeted by hackers in fake obituary hoax

Czech MP Marek Novák of the ANO movement was the target of a hacking attack in which unauthorized individuals gained access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts via email. The attackers posted a fake obituary claiming that Novák had passed away after a short illness, even providing a fictional date for a funeral service in Zlín.

The fraudulent post, which appeared to be created using artificial intelligence, caused significant distress to his followers and family. Novák regained control of his profiles with assistance from Meta's technical support and confirmed he is alive and well. He expressed outrage at the perpetrators, stating that their actions were “beyond the pale” due to the emotional impact on his loved ones.

Deputy Prime Minister and ANO Vice-Chairman Karel Havlíček also commented on the incident, criticizing the hackers for their cruelty and noting that such a hoax could have caused genuine trauma to the politician's elderly parents.