A 49-year-old bricklayer in Brazil sold his belongings and travelled more than 2,000 kilometres by bus to meet a woman he hoped to build a life with. When he arrived in Belo Horizonte, he learned that she did not exist. "Jéssica" was a character created with artificial intelligence.
Key points
- Edimar Rocha Martins travelled from Imperatriz, in Maranhão state, to Belo Horizonte, arriving on October 11, 2026, G1 reports.
- He was looking for "Jéssica Oliveira," also called "Jéssica Fazendeira," whose TikTok profile had more than 300,000 followers.
- The account's operator says the character was AI-generated to drive engagement for product sales and denies ever speaking to Martins privately.
- Belo Horizonte's city services gave him food, a shower and a bus ticket home.
- Minas Gerais Civil Police say creating an AI character is not a crime in itself.
Who is Edimar Martins?
According to G1, Martins is 49, divorced and originally from Tocantins state. He told G1 he met "Jéssica" after her videos began appearing in his social media feeds, and that the two then began chatting.
NDTV, citing local broadcaster TV Mirante and the New York Post, reports that he first came across the account in 2020 and was struggling with loneliness after his mother's death. He told TV Mirante that he sold everything he owned to pay for the trip, leaving himself with nothing, according to G1's report.
Who is "Jéssica Fazendeira"?
"Jéssica" was an avatar with a realistic face and voice who appeared in rural settings. Her videos were aimed mainly at men and talked about money, relationships and life on a farm in Minas Gerais. In one post quoted by G1, the character said she lived alone on her farm and missed having someone to talk to and share her life with. In another, she said she wanted to support a partner so he could stop working.
G1 reports the profile was also used to promote products sold online. After the case drew attention, the operator deleted the videos.
Was there a scam?
That is disputed. Martins told G1 he had private conversations with the profile, and that "Jéssica" offered to pay for his ticket, pick him up and give him an address. He said he was never asked for money, which is why he did not suspect anything.
The person behind the account denies this. In a video posted using the AI character, the page admitted that "Jéssica" is made with artificial intelligence, said no one had ever been contacted through the profile, and explained that the aim was engagement to drive sales, NDTV reports. These are competing accounts, and neither has been independently verified.
How he found out
Martins arrived in Belo Horizonte without an address. He showed photos of "Jéssica" to people in the street and asked whether anyone knew her, then went to a local radio station for help. He told G1 that he walked around with several photos, and when everyone said they did not recognise her, he realised he had been deceived.
He was helped by the city's migrant support unit, which gave him food, a shower, advice about online scams and a bus ticket to Augustinópolis, his home town in Tocantins. NDTV, citing The Sun, reports that he was the third man in less than six months to travel to Belo Horizonte to meet an AI-generated woman. Despite everything, he told reporters he still hopes to find a partner there.
Is it a crime?
Not necessarily. The Minas Gerais Civil Police told G1 it had found no police report about the case. It said creating a fictional AI character is not an offence by itself, but using the technology to deceive someone for unlawful gain could amount to fraud. It added that it could not say whether that happened here without an investigation.
How to spot an AI-generated profile
AI specialist Samuel Costa told G1 that tell-tale signs in AI videos can include:
- Unnatural movements or odd facial expressions
- Voice and lip movements that do not quite match
- Visual inconsistencies during the video
He warned that these flaws are becoming harder to see as the technology improves. The best defence is to check where a video comes from, who runs the profile and whether other sources confirm it. Police advise confirming someone's identity before travelling to meet them or sending money, and keeping messages and receipts if you suspect fraud.
Why it matters
This story is unusual, but the risk behind it is not. Realistic AI personas are cheap to make and can attract hundreds of thousands of followers. For lonely or less tech-savvy users, the line between an influencer and a real person can be hard to see. Platforms, families and users all have a part to play in making sure people know when they are talking to software.
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