Home / Crime and Justice / AI Fakes IDs: Ukrainian Nabbed in US Crackdown
AI Fakes IDs: Ukrainian Nabbed in US Crackdown
27 Feb
Summary
- Ukrainian national ran AI fake ID website, pleaded guilty.
- Over 10,000 fake digital IDs sold, earning crypto.
- Site aided bypassing identity verification for illicit activities.
Yurii Nazarenko, a 27-year-old Ukrainian national, has pleaded guilty to fraud charges for his role in operating the AI-powered website OnlyFake. This underground platform specialized in generating realistic fake digital government identification documents. The Justice Department announced Nazarenko's guilty plea on February 27, 2026.
OnlyFake produced and sold more than 10,000 fake IDs, including digital versions of US driver's licenses, passports, and Social Security cards, earning Nazarenko hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency. The website enabled customers to bypass identity verification processes crucial for financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges, facilitating activities such as money laundering.
The site allowed users to customize the appearance of the fake IDs, making them appear as scans or photographs. Nazarenko had been operating OnlyFake since at least 2021, also generating digital passports for 56 other countries. He was indicted in November 2024 and arrested nearly a year later.
Investigators tracked Nazarenko's cryptocurrency transactions, which he attempted to conceal. In August 2024, an undercover agent was advised by OnlyFake customer support on using a fake ID to circumvent crypto exchange registration. The site's capabilities, including generating convincing California driver's licenses that passed verification, were previously highlighted by media in February 2024.
This case marks one of the first federal charges for digital fake IDs, underscoring the growing use of generative AI in cybercrime. Nazarenko faces up to 15 years in prison and must forfeit $1.2 million in illicit proceeds.
