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Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images
A Wisconsin software engineer was arrested on Monday for allegedly creating and distributing thousands of AI-generated images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Court documents describe Steven Anderegg as “extremely technologically savvy,” with a background in computer science and “decades of experience in software engineering.” Anderegg, 42, is accused of sending AI-generated images of naked minors to a 15-year-old boy via Instagram DM. Anderegg was put on law enforcement’s radar after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children flagged the messages, which he allegedly sent in October 2023.
According to information law enforcement obtained from Instagram, Anderegg posted an Instagram story in 2023 “consisting of a…