A West Point cadet used artificial intelligence to create a nude image of a woman and threatened to release it if she did not respond with explicit photos. In return, he received a general court-martial that ended with his dismissal from the Army.
During a judge-alone trial at West Point earlier this month, former cadet Cayden Cork pleaded guilty to charges tied to the manipulated image and his extortion attempt, according to the Army.
A charge sheet provided by the United States Military Academy alleges that in 2024 Cork used AI to alter a publicly-available photo of the victim, creating a fake image that looked like the victim, posed without clothes. It says that Cork later called and texted the victim, asking her “how accurate is this?”
The charge sheet alleges that in September of that year, he threatened to make a doctored image public if she did not heed his request to “send an ass pic.”
The victim’s name was redacted from the charge sheet.
Cork was convicted of one specification of extortion and one specification of indecent conduct, violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice under Articles 127 and 134, the Academy said this week, adding that the sentence was consistent with the plea agreement.
Col. Trevor Barna, the military judge presiding over the case, sentenced Cork to be reprimanded, forfeit all pay and allowances, serve 10 days of confinement and be dismissed from the service.
The military academy added that the 10 days of confinement were credited, resulting in no time in custody.
A dismissal is reserved for very serious offenses and can only come from a general court-martial. It represents the officer equivalent of a dishonorable discharge.
“When service members use these emerging tools to commit serious crimes against fellow service members, the Army will act to protect victims and uphold good order and discipline,” said Capt. Anthony Williamson, a prosecutor with the Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel.
“This case highlights the ability of the military justice system to adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of technological advancement. While these developments can present novel challenges for investigators and prosecutors—as they certainly did here—the core principles of accountability and justice remain a constant,” he said in a statement.
The last completed cadet court-martial occurred in 2024, according to West Point.
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.
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