A Gold Coast man has been fined more than $340,000 for posting deepfake pornography of prominent Australian women, in a first-of-its-kind legal case.
The federal court ordered Anthony Rotondo, also known as Antonio, to pay a $343,500 penalty plus costs after the eSafety Commissioner took him to court nearly two years ago. Rotondo admitted posting the images on a website called MrDeepFakes.com, which is now closed.
The online regulator said the fine sends a “strong message” about the seriousness of deepfake image-based abuse. The case highlights the emotional and psychological damage that non-consensual deepfake pornography can cause.
Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, began legal action in 2023 after Rotondo ignored a removal notice. He had told authorities, “Get an arrest warrant if you think you are right,” claiming he was not an Australian resident.
Despite a court order to remove the images and stop sharing them, Rotondo emailed the pictures to 50 addresses, including media outlets and the eSafety Commissioner. Police later confirmed he had traveled from the Philippines to the Gold Coast.
Rotondo eventually admitted to contempt of court. He provided passwords and other information to the commissioner’s officers, leading to the removal of the images.
The eSafety Commissioner praised the court decision, saying it shows there are serious consequences for creating or sharing explicit deepfake images without consent. The regulator warned that such abuse can cause lasting harm to victims.
This landmark ruling is the first of its kind in Australia and is expected to act as a deterrent against future cases of deepfake pornography.
