Alex Veintimilla, from Quito, Ecuador, invented a character named ‘Shaggy’: a special operations police officer with huge biceps and defined abs, all thanks to an artificial intelligence filter. 😳 With that false identity, he gained 56,000 followers on TikTok and, according to the investigation, built online romances before asking his victims for money.
When police arrived to arrest him, reality was different. Colonel Hugo Amores confirmed that Veintimilla was wearing a SWAT-style camouflage uniform over several layers of clothing, trying to look more muscular in person. During the operation, he took them off, claiming health problems.
He has a record for intimidation and is suspected of belonging to the Latin Kings gang. He was released due to a lack of immediate evidence, and hours later he went live on TikTok swearing that his photos were real. Police are still looking for more victims. 🚨
