Brief
North Carolina man sentenced to 18 months for AI‑driven music‑streaming fraud
Mike Smith received an 18‑month prison term after pleading guilty to a scheme that used bots and AI‑generated tracks to harvest millions in illegal royalties.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Mike Smith, a North Carolina resident, was sentenced on Tuesday to 18 months in federal prison for a music‑streaming fraud scheme that employed bots to stream AI‑generated songs, Rolling Stone reported.
What happened
According to the outlet, Smith pleaded guilty to inflating plays of his own catalog and hundreds of thousands of AI‑created tracks, generating millions of dollars in unearned royalties. The sentencing took place in Manhattan federal court on October 6, 2026.
What the report adds
Rolling Stone notes that the Department of Justice press release highlighted the use of what the Trump administration now calls “super intelligence” technology, a rebranding of artificial intelligence promoted by President Donald Trump. The release, issued on the same day as the sentencing, quoted U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald saying Smith “exploited super intelligence technology to generate a fraud.”
What was said
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald told Rolling Stone, “This Office is committed to ensuring the integrity of all markets, and protecting the public from those who use super intelligence for fraud.” The article also references a Trump‑era executive order that mandated agencies replace the term “artificial intelligence” with “super intelligence.”
How it came about
The case follows growing concerns about AI‑driven streaming fraud, which Felo News previously covered in its September 15 article on the IFPI’s Streaming Integrity Initiative aimed at curbing such schemes. Earlier reporting also noted prosecutors had sought a 46‑month sentence for Smith in September, but the court imposed a shorter term.
Key facts
- Mike Smith was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for music‑streaming fraud. (rollingstone.com)
- Smith used bots to stream AI‑generated songs, earning millions in illegal royalties. (rollingstone.com)
- The DOJ press release called the technology "super intelligence," a term promoted by President Trump. (rollingstone.com)
Sources
- [1] rollingstone.com — originally reported as “The First Music Streaming Fraud Case Gets Caught Up in Trump's Dumb AI Rebrand”
