Michael Smith Sentenced to 18 Months for AI Music Streaming Fraud

In a Manhattan federal court, musician Michael Smith received an 18-month prison sentence for orchestrating an AI-based fraud that amassed over $8 million from 2017 to 2024. Smith was found to have uploaded thousands of songs generated by AI to various streaming services, employing automated accounts to artificially boost play counts and secure significant royalties. Arrested two years prior, he entered a guilty plea in March. In addition to his prison term, he will undergo two years of supervised release and is required to pay $8 million in restitution. Notably known for co-writing "A Hard Working Man," Smith created fictitious accounts using VPNs, attributing music to non-existent bands. The Mechanical Licensing Collective identified the unusual streaming activity in 2018, leading to this unprecedented sentencing.