A 22-year-old Indian medical student has admitted that he created a fake online personality using artificial intelligence and used it to make thousands of dollars from American MAGA supporters. The story was first reported by WIRED.
The student, who used the name Sam to protect his medical career and immigration plans, told WIRED that he needed extra money while preparing for costly medical licensing exams. He said his parents helped him financially, but much of that money went toward exam-related expenses. He is also saving in hopes of moving to the US in the future. So he began looking for side income online.
AI suggested a conservative niche
Sam said he first experimented with different online ideas. He made YouTube Shorts and sold study notes to other medical students. But the real turning point came while scrolling through Instagram. He wondered if he could create an attractive AI-generated woman and sell her photos online.
He used Google Gemini’s Nano Banana Pro tool to make a digital model and initially posted generic photos of a beautiful woman in revealing outfits. But the content got little attention. That is when he turned to Gemini for advice.
Sam said he gave Gemini several ideas to help the fake model stand out. According to him, the chatbot picked one option in particular: the “MAGA/conservative niche.”
He claimed Gemini described it as a “cheat code” and suggested that older conservative men in the US may have more disposable income and stronger loyalty.
A Google spokesperson responded to WIRED by saying Gemini is designed to stay neutral and not favour any political ideology unless asked directly. “Gemini is designed not to give a particular opinion unless you tell it to. Instead, it is designed to offer neutral responses that don’t favour any political ideology or viewpoint.”
Meet Emily Hart: AI Nurse with MAGA views
In January, Sam created “Emily Hart,” an AI-generated blonde woman who looked similar to a Hollywood actor and claimed to be a registered nurse. Using the Instagram handle @emily_hart.nurse, he posted photos of her ice fishing, drinking Coors Light, and visiting rifle ranges.
The captions were strongly political and provocative. One post read: “If you want a reason to unfollow: Christ is king, abortion is murder, and all illegals must be deported.” Another said: “POV: You were assigned intelligent at birth, but you identify as liberal.”
Though Sam has never lived in the US, he said he studied MAGA culture closely. “Every day I’d write something pro-Christian, pro-Second Amendment, pro-life, anti-abortion, anti-woke, and anti-immigration,” he told WIRED.
Sam said he was shocked by how quickly the account grew. “Every Reel I posted was getting 3 million views, 5 million views, 10 million views. The algorithm loved it,” he claimed.
Within a month, Emily Hart had crossed 10,000 followers, according to Sam. He said many followers also subscribed to her account on Fanvue, a platform similar to OnlyFans that allows AI-generated content.
Sam said he also sold MAGA-themed T-shirts, including one that read: “PTSD: Pretty Tired of Stupid Democrats.” According to him, the project was bringing in a few thousand dollars a month.
“I was spending maybe 30 to 50 minutes of my day, and I was making good money for a medical student,” he said. “In India, even in professional jobs, you can’t make this amount of money. I haven’t seen any easier way to make money online.”
Why these accounts work
Speaking to WIRED, Valerie Wirtschafter, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies emerging technology and democracy, said AI has likely increased the scale of such accounts. She observed that young conservative women are relatively rare online compared with liberal women in the same age group, which may make such profiles more eye-catching.
Sam also tried making a liberal version of Emily, but said it did not work. “Democrats know that it’s AI slop, so they don’t engage as much,” he claimed. WIRED reported that Emily Hart is one of many AI-generated right-wing female influencer accounts appearing across social media. Some accounts have reportedly gained huge audiences before being removed.
Instagram eventually banned Emily Hart
Even though some platforms require creators to label AI-generated content, enforcement remains inconsistent. Sam said Emily’s Instagram posts were never marked as AI-generated. In February, Instagram banned the account for “fraudulent” activity. Sam said he has now left the AI influencer business behind and wants to focus on medical studies and his future career as an orthopaedic surgeon.
The case has triggered debate over fake AI influencers and how people can be misled online. Sam reportedly argued that he was not “scamming” anyone because people chose to follow the page and pay voluntarily. Critics, however, say the issue is deeper than that. They point to the use of a fake identity and emotional political messaging to earn money under false pretences.