A Pennsylvania mother is accused of digitally manipulating photos and video of her teenage daughter’s cheerleading rivals.
Raffaela Spone, a 50-year-old Pennsylvania resident, has been arrested for creating “deepfake” images and videos of her daughter’s cheerleading rivals in an alleged attempt to hurt their prospects.
According to police reports, Spone used computer software to manipulate images of three girls to make them appear naked, smoking, and drinking. Her intention was to ruin their reputations on the Victory Vipers cheer squad for Bucks County. However, the plan backfired and Spone now faces charges.
The police allege that Spone sent the doctored images and videos to the girls and harassed them with text messages and threatening calls made from disguised phone numbers. Though Spone has denied creating the images, she is set to stand trial on June 9, 2021, for cyber harassment of a child and harassment.
While Spone’s arrest took place on March 4, 2021, Pennsylvania investigators have not found definitive evidence that Spone created the incriminating images and videos. There is also a lack of evidence proving that the images were manipulated in the first place. Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub plans to prosecute Spone for cyber harassment and harassment of the teenage girls, though. Spone currently faces three charges of each crime.
Weintraub emphasized that Pennsylvania law criminalizes adult harassment of minors. Hence, Spone is not permitted to harass, annoy, or alarm teenage girls repeatedly or anonymously. Magisterial District Judge Regina Armitage agreed with Weintraub that there was enough evidence to bring Spone to trial.
Spone plans to plead not guilty and will be represented by attorney Robert Birch. Birch has criticized Weintraub’s handling of the case, saying that there is insufficient evidence against his client. Weintraub initially told the media that the case was about Spone’s use of deepfake technology, but the DA now admits that they cannot confirm whether or not the images were falsified.
One of the victims, Madi Hime, contacted the police last summer after receiving harassing texts and calls from an anonymous number. Madi, now 17, confirmed that she never appeared in the doctored images or videos.
She said, “I thought if I said it, no one would believe me because obviously, there’s proof, there’s a video – but obviously that video was manipulated.”
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