Nepal: Man Arrested for Using AI to Create Fake Donation Receipt in Flood Relief Scam

KATHMANDU: Nepal Police have arrested a 32-year-old man in Ramechhap district for using artificial intelligence to fabricate a fake donation receipt for flood relief funds and attempting to divert donations into his personal bank account. The accused has been identified as Bhagwan Karki.
According to police, the suspect used ChatGPT to generate a fake eSewa transaction statement showing he had donated 120,000 Nepali rupees (about $782) to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. He then posted the fabricated receipt on social media, presenting himself as a major donor to victims of the Bhotekoshi floods — but attached his own QR code and bank details, redirecting well-wishers’ contributions straight into his personal account instead of the official fund.
Ramechhap Police Inspector Kamal Raut confirmed the arrest, saying legal action has been initiated under fraud and digital crime laws.
The incident comes as Nepal grapples with devastating floods and landslides that have caused massive loss of life and property, with billions of rupees being raised for victims. Cyber criminals have increasingly exploited such crises for digital fraud. Citing a rise in AI-driven scams and fake QR codes, the Nepali government and police have issued an advisory urging citizens to avoid sending money to unverified QR codes and to donate only through the official, verified Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.