Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech targeted by deepfake medical advertisements

The Lovech Metropolis has issued a warning regarding a deepfake video circulating on social media that uses artificial intelligence to manipulate the image and voice of Metropolitan Gabriel. The fraudulent video depicts the Metropolitan promoting various medications and medicinal products.

The Metropolis clarified that Metropolitan Gabriel has never advertised medicines, medical treatments, goods, or services in any media or social networks. Officials stated that the message in the video is entirely falsified and bears no relation to Orthodox spirituality or the teachings of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Law enforcement authorities have been notified, and a request has been made to have the content removed from the internet. This follows a similar incident in June 2024, where AI-generated content was used to falsely portray the Metropolitan as a spokesperson for medical products.