Deepfake with Zelensky in Melnyk’s advertisement: ethical violations and possible raider schemes

An investigation by the StopCor project has uncovered significant corruption schemes related to real estate registration involving Kharkiv lawyers and Justice Ministry officials. The focus is on Valentyn Melnyk, who is believed to be assisting in illegal registrations and using a deepfake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his advertising.

Valentyn Melnyk, a Kharkiv lawyer known for his active involvement in corruption schemes, has been charged with new crimes. According to the investigation, he is not only an intermediary in raider operations involving forged documents and illegal real estate registrations but also disregards the ethical standards of his profession.

Melnyk is believed to cooperate with Justice Ministry officials and “black registrars,” allowing him to change municipal and private property owners to persons acting on his behalf. This case reflects a systemic problem of corruption, where even state bodies such as the Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor’s Office are subject to raider attacks.

In addition to his real estate activities, Melnyk has been spotlighted for ethical violations. On the website of his bar association, he posted a video in which President Zelensky allegedly congratulated the legal team on their birthday. The use of deepfake in such advertising contradicts ethical norms and laws governing the protection of privacy and copyright.

Deepfake technology allows you to create fake images and videos using real faces. In this case, it caused serious violations, as Volodymyr Zelensky did not permit his face to be used in advertising. This undermines trust in the legal profession, as lawyers must adhere to high ethical standards.

This incident reveals how lawyers and corrupt officials use the latest technologies to manipulate, violating not only the law but also basic moral principles.

This case added new nuances to the already-known schemes for manipulating registration documents in Ukraine.