Storm-1516 Produces Very Likely Deepfake Videos of Student Accusing Democratic Senate Candidate of Sexual Assault
We identified a very likely coordinated network of accounts across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube that is impersonating US Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, who serves in the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division.
A newly created X account seeded two very likely deepfake videos on Oct. 20 that depicted a former student of Texas state Rep. and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico accusing him of sexual assault. Based on dissemination tactics and content characteristics, we assess with high confidence that the Russia-aligned influence operation Storm-1516 produced the video.
Online Activity
X Account and Suspected Impersonation
An X account created in September 2026 and using the name Zyon Lewis posted the two videos on Oct. 20. The X account is very likely impersonating a Facebook user of the same name based in Converse, Texas, who attended Rhodes Middle School where Talarico taught. The Facebook user repeatedly expressed pride in having Talarico as a teacher.
Deepfake Videos and Allegations
The very likely deepfake videos depict a man claiming he is Zyon Lewis and that Talarico assaulted him in January 2012 when he was 12. The man claims that Talarico took advantage of Lewis being a difficult student rejected by other teachers.
Indicators of AI Generation
We assess that the videos are very likely deepfakes as the man's face had unnatural or unsynchronized movements compared to the audio, there was a lack of body movement, and AI analysis tools indicated they were AI-generated.
Amplification by Known Storm-1516 Accounts
Known Storm-1516 amplifiers, such as Liberal Tear Creator and Garbage Human, and U.S. conservative accounts shared the videos. One QAnon Facebook account shared a link to the videos.
How We Investigated This
Graphika's intelligence is built on a proprietary methodology developed over more than a decade of network analysis and open source investigation. Every insight we publish is grounded in rigorous, evidence-based research across the platforms, communities, and narratives that shape online discourse.
Network Mapping
We identify and map online communities based on how they interact, not just what they say, revealing the structural relationships between actors and audiences.
Narrative Tracking
We monitor how narratives form, evolve, and spread across platforms, distinguishing organic conversation from coordinated amplification.
Behavioral Analysis
We analyze patterns of behavior across accounts and networks to detect coordination, inauthentic activity, and influence operations.
Cross-Platform Intelligence
Our analysis spans mainstream and niche platforms, giving a complete picture of how information moves across the broader online ecosystem.
Expert Validation
Every finding is reviewed by our team of analysts, researchers, and subject matter experts before publication.
Graphika is the most trusted provider of actionable open-source intelligence to help organizations stay ahead of emerging online events and make decisions on how to navigate them. Led by prominent innovators and technologists in the field of online discourse analysis, Graphika supports global enterprises and public sector customers across trust & safety, cyber threat intelligence, and strategic communications, spanning industries including intelligence, technology, media and entertainment, and global banking.
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