Michael Schmitt AI Avatar Confirmed in Videos by Malta Media

Questions about investigative journalist Michael Schmitt have mounted after Malta Media confirmed that videos bearing his name feature an AI-generated avatar. AI Videos Add to Mystery Surrounding Malta Media Journalist Schmitt, who works with investigative outlet Malta Media, caught the attention of the gambling industry after his own LinkedIn profile disappeared earlier this year. Articles kept appearing on the publication’s website under his name, and his absence set off alarm bells. Digital sports media platform Tribuna reached out to him on July 6 but had not heard back. The outlet revisited the matter after videos allegedly showing Schmitt began to circulate online, including content published on Malta Media’s LinkedIn page. The earliest find of an AI-generated video was posted on Schmitt’s X account on July 4. The videos have further raised questions over whether the journalist was personally recording the messages or using an artificial representation. Schmitt has written about financial arrangements, corporate ownership and business relationships in the gambling industry. Previous investigations by him included financial connections involving Midas Entertainment and private foundations based in Malta and the restructuring of Tipico. He also covered the spat between Evolution, Playtech and Black Cube. These subjects have made him one of the journalists covering the less transparent side of the gambling business. Questions Persist Over Schmitt’s Identity After AI Avatar Claim More recently, Schmitt published an article on October 7 criticizing journalist and cybersecurity researcher Lilith Wittmann’s investigation of Curaçao’s gambling regulator. On September 22, Wittmann published her findings in cooperation 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 then used a security vulnerability to view licensing information for about nine months. Malta Media’s response questioned Wittmann’s methods and the way the information was handled. It said it would also contact data protection authorities, prosecutors and service providers. These were described as proposed actions, not as proof that Wittmann had violated the law. However, the videos featuring Schmitt appeared to be fake. However, it was not possible to find out who created or appeared in the videos. On October 12, Tribuna contacted Malta Media to inquire about Schmitt’s safety and the authenticity of the videos. A reply came in from Media Malta’s general e-mail address and was signed by someone who identified himself as Michael Schmitt, executive editor. The sender confirmed he was ok and confessed the videos used his AI avatar. The sender seemed surprised when the outlet asked for a quick call to confirm who he was. The request was a routine step to verify the facts and it offered an unrecorded video call or another reliable method of confirmation. The publication also asked if the reported disappearance of Schmitt’s LinkedIn account had affected other communication channels. However, there was no further response from Malta Media. Yet the absence of independent verification does not mean someone impersonated Schmitt or that he is in danger.