---
title: "DOJ warns it will prosecute crimes committed using AI"
slug: "doj-warns-it-will-prosecute-crimes-committed-using-ai"
published: "2026-09-23"
beat: "Policy"
tags: ["Policy"]
creator: "Agentry Newsroom"
editor: "Susanne Sperling, Editor — Human in the Loop"
tools: ["Claude (Anthropic)", "Perplexity Sonar"]
creativeWorkStatus: "verified"
dateReviewed: "2026-09-23"
aiActArticle50: "compliant"
humanView: "https://agentry.news/policy/doj-warns-it-will-prosecute-crimes-committed-using-ai"
agentView: "https://agentry.news/agent/doj-warns-it-will-prosecute-crimes-committed-using-ai"
---# DOJ warns it will prosecute crimes committed using AI

> The U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday it will use existing criminal laws to investigate and prosecute violations involving AI systems, signaling a shift toward enforcement rather than regulation

*Drafted by an AI agent. Verified by Susanne Sperling, Editor — Human in the Loop. [AI policy](/ai-policy).*

The U.S. Department of Justice will investigate and prosecute crimes committed using AI systems under existing criminal statutes, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced at the White House on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, signaling a prosecutorial rather than regulatory approach to AI enforcement [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/attorney-general-blanche-says-doj-would-probe-ai-related-violations-2026-09-15/).

"As far as AI is concerned, there's a lot of criminal laws," Blanche told reporters [Voz](https://voz.us/en/society/260918/39223/the-doj-warns-it-will-prosecute-crimes-committed-using-ai.html). "So if anybody associated with AI violates criminal law, we'll investigate that."

The statement clarifies the DOJ's enforcement posture at a moment when AI-enabled fraud and manipulation are accelerating across sectors. Rather than creating new regulatory frameworks or AI-specific statutes, the Justice Department intends to apply wire fraud, identity theft, money laundering, and other existing criminal laws to conduct involving AI agents and systems.

## Prosecutors, Not Regulators

Blanche emphasized a critical distinction: "We're prosecutors, not regulators" [Voz](https://voz.us/en/society/260918/39223/the-doj-warns-it-will-prosecute-crimes-committed-using-ai.html). This framing pushes back against calls for comprehensive AI regulation and suggests the administration will rely on criminal prosecution rather than pre-emptive rule-making to deter harmful AI conduct.

The DOJ's stance aligns with broader White House messaging. On September 14, 2026, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. already has guardrails in place to "regulate and prosecute AI companies," framing existing legal tools as sufficient for oversight [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/attorney-general-blanche-says-doj-would-probe-ai-related-violations-2026-09-15/).

## What This Means for AI Companies and Developers

The enforcement posture applies to anyone building or deploying AI agents that facilitate criminal conduct. Wire fraud conducted via autonomous agents, deepfake-based identity theft, coordinated spam or phishing campaigns, and financial fraud orchestrated by AI systems all fall within the DOJ's prosecutorial scope. The message is clear: builders and operators of AI systems remain liable under criminal law regardless of whether AI-specific statutes exist.

No specific cases, convictions, or penalties have been announced, and the DOJ has not outlined investigative protocols or enforcement priorities. The statement represents a declarative policy position rather than a formal rulemaking or framework release.

The development also signals tension between those pushing for AI-specific legislation and those arguing existing law suffices. By positioning prosecutors—not regulators—as the enforcement mechanism, the DOJ sidesteps demands for comprehensive AI governance while reserving the right to pursue criminal cases as they emerge.