Brazilian man sold his possessions for an AI-generated woman
In Brazil, 49-year-old construction worker Edimar Rocha Martins sold some of his belongings and traveled more than 2,000 kilometers to meet a woman who does not exist—her appearance and voice were AI-generated.
How a man fell in love with AI
Edimar met Jessica through the social media platforms Kwai and Facebook. In her videos, the attractive blonde presented herself as a widow who owned a large farm in the state of Minas Gerais. She said she was looking for a life partner and was willing to provide him with housing and financial support. The virtual woman had more than 300,000 followers on TikTok alone.
According to the construction worker, Jessica replied to his messages and repeatedly invited him to move in with her. He believed they had begun a romantic relationship. His decision was also influenced by the emotional distress he was experiencing after his mother’s death. Edimar told reporters he was lonely and wanted to start a new life.
In October 2026, Edimar decided to move. He sold some of his personal belongings, spent his savings, and took a bus from Imperatriz to Belo Horizonte. The roughly 2,100-kilometer journey took more than 36 hours.
When he arrived, the construction worker tried unsuccessfully to find the woman he loved. Seeking help, he contacted a journalist at local radio station Rádio Itatiaia and asked him to tell Jessica that he had arrived. The reporter explained that the woman in the videos had been created using AI and did not exist in real life.
What the creator of the virtual woman said
After the story made headlines, the administrator of Jessica’s account posted a video explaining what had happened. He said the profile had been created solely to attract an audience and sell products through TikTok Shop and Mercado Livre. The posts advertised clothing, dietary supplements, and other goods.
The creator of the virtual woman also disputed Edimar’s claims that they had exchanged private messages. He said he had never communicated with the man or invited anyone to Belo Horizonte. The construction worker probably took publicly available videos and automated replies as messages addressed personally to him.
How the story ended
Left in an unfamiliar city with almost no money, Edimar sought help from the municipal service for migrants. Staff provided him with food and helped arrange his return home.
The man returned to Imperatriz on October 15, where relatives met him. The return trip was also difficult: Edimar developed health problems along the way and needed medical assistance.
Despite what he had been through, the construction worker has not given up on the idea of visiting Belo Horizonte again. He plans to return in 2027 to celebrate his 50th birthday, this time as a tourist.
Notably, this is not the first case of its kind. According to Rádio Itatiaia, two older men who believed invitations from virtual women had already traveled to Belo Horizonte in the past six months. One came from the state of Roraima in June, and the other from Manaus in August.
Edimar’s story shows just how convincing AI characters on social media have become. Realistic videos, direct appeals to viewers, and automated replies can create the impression of personal communication even when there is no real person behind the account.
