Fake home invasion vid lands woman in real trouble

A Maryland woman who allegedly used AI to fake a home invasion was arrested and charged with making false statements after telling police that the ersatz intruder was part of a prank gone wrong.

Earlier this month, Montgomery County cops responded to an emergency call at 27-year-old Moesha Gardener's home in North Bethesda, Maryland. 

Police say Gardener texted her husband and said a strange man forced his way into their home after she opened the door. She also allegedly sent him a photo showing what appeared to be a man lying on their couch, covered in a blanket, and told him that that was the intruder. 

Her husband then called 911 to report what he believed to be a break-in, and a little before 1030 am on October 8, eight police cars raced to the purported scene of the crime, emergency lights and sirens blasting.

Upon arrival, the officers and Gardener's husband found her sitting alone, on the couch, with a cell-phone mounted on a tripod aimed at the door. Gardener then admitted that she sent the photo and text messages as a prank, and used AI to generate an image of the fake intruder, according to police.

"It was at that time that they were advised that this was some kind of prank on TikTok," Lieutenant Ari Elkin told DC News Now. 

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Gardener was charged with making a false statement concerning a crime and providing a false statement to a state official. Police arrested her on October 10, and she was later released on a $10,000 bond.

The cops also want to remind everyone that calling 911 to report a fake crime is a crime. "So-called 'swatting' calls, false reports made to trigger a large police response, waste valuable emergency resources and can put lives at risk," the Montgomery County police said in an October 17 statement. "These actions carry serious legal consequences."

They also carry serious personal consequences, according to your friendly neighborhood vultures. No word on what Gardener's husband thinks of her AI-enabled "prank," but we'd imagine that's grounds for divorce - or at least a very extended vacation in the dog house, with plenty of time to think about life choices.

Hopefully Gardener realizes she's too old for TikTok challenges and finds another hobby that doesn't involve using AI for illegal activities. ®