Malta Media confirms videos under journalist Michael Schmitt's name use an AI avatar

Malta Media has confirmed that videos published under the name of its journalist Michael Schmitt use an AI-generated avatar, according to a report by GamblingNews citing Tribuna's inquiries. The confirmation follows months of questions in the gambling industry about the journalist's whereabouts and identity.

Schmitt drew attention after his LinkedIn profile disappeared earlier this year, while articles continued to appear under his name on the Malta Media website. Digital sports media platform Tribuna contacted him on July 6 and received no reply. It returned to the matter after videos purporting to show him circulated online, including on Malta Media's LinkedIn page. The earliest AI-generated video identified was posted on Schmitt's X account on July 4.

Schmitt has written about financial arrangements, corporate ownership and business relationships in the gambling sector. His earlier work covered financial links involving Midas Entertainment and private foundations based in Malta, the restructuring of Tipico, and the dispute between Evolution, Playtech and Black Cube.

More recently, he published an article on October 7 criticising the investigation by journalist and cybersecurity researcher Lilith Wittmann into Curaçao's gambling regulator. Wittmann published her findings on September 22 together with NDR, NRK, SVT and Follow the Money. She said she logged into the Curaçao Gaming Control Board's systems in December 2025 under a false identity and used a security vulnerability to view licensing information for about nine months. Malta Media's response questioned her methods and how the information was handled, and said it would contact data protection authorities, prosecutors and service providers. These were described as proposed actions, not as proof that Wittmann broke the law.

On October 12, Tribuna asked Malta Media about Schmitt's safety and the authenticity of the videos. A reply came from the outlet's general email address, signed by someone identifying himself as Michael Schmitt, executive editor. The sender said he was fine and acknowledged that the videos used his AI avatar. When Tribuna asked for a brief unrecorded video call or another reliable way to confirm his identity, the sender appeared surprised, and no further response followed.

Tribuna noted that the lack of independent verification does not mean that someone impersonated Schmitt or that he is in danger. It remains unclear who created or appears in the videos.