German actress and television personality Collien Fernandes has accused her former husband, actor and comedian Christian Ulmen, of spending years impersonating her online and sending sexually explicit material to men in her name. She said the fake accounts made it appear that she was flirting with men, sending nude images and taking part in sexual chats.
Fernandes said she first learned about the fake accounts in 2020, after men began contacting her team to ask if they had really been speaking with her. The case later grew into a major debate in Germany about online abuse, fake sexual images and the need for stronger laws.
Fernandes Discovered a Disturbing Online Identity
Fernandes said the problem became clear when people in her own work circle began treating her as if they had a private relationship with her. One producer even showed her erotic pictures of herself, believing she had sent them to him.
She said the images were not pictures she had sent and that she had no idea who was behind the accounts. Some of the material appeared to show women who looked like her, while other images may have been made with artificial intelligence.
The experience became even more upsetting when Fernandes discovered a video that appeared to show her having sex with several men. She later decided to investigate the people using her name and image online.
She Says the Impersonation Lasted for Years
Fernandes worked on a documentary about digital sexual abuse while also trying to find the people behind the fake accounts. During the investigation, she spoke to a man who said a fake version of Fernandes had contacted him online and started a sexual conversation.
Nach ihrer Anzeige gegen Christian Ulmen legt Collien Fernandes auf Instagram nach. Die 44-Jährige wirft ihrem Ex-Mann jahrelange Erniedrigung und die Erstellung von Fake-Profilen für Telefonsex vor. https://t.co/hUsyr9pVCt
— oe24.at (@oe24at) March 19, 2026
The man told her that the account had also sent him sexual material that falsely presented Fernandes as the person involved. For Fernandes, seeing the material was deeply upsetting because the images looked convincing even though she knew they were not real.
She eventually tried to trap one of the fake accounts by contacting it through another person's LinkedIn account. Fernandes hoped that a private conversation would reveal clues about who was behind the account, but the person never replied.
Fernandes Says Her Ex-Husband Confessed
The major break in the case came after Fernandes completed her documentary. During a family trip in late 2024, she said Ulmen became upset after learning that the documentary included details about her efforts to report the fake accounts.
Fernandes says Ulmen then told her that he had been impersonating her online. According to her account, he said he had contacted hundreds of men over about 10 years, although he did not tell her who they were.
She later said she obtained material that supported her claims. In an email reviewed during the reporting, Ulmen admitted to his lawyer that he had conducted sexually explicit online conversations while pretending to be Fernandes with about 30 men and expressed regret.
Ulmen's Lawyer Disputes the Allegations
The allegations have been strongly contested. Ulmen's lawyer said the reporting was based on suspicions and a one-sided account, and said legal action would be taken over what he described as false claims.
Ulmen has also challenged claims about deepfake material. His lawyer has denied that Ulmen created or distributed deepfake videos, while Fernandes has maintained that he was behind the online impersonation and sexual material sent in her name.
The legal dispute means that the allegations must be treated carefully. Ulmen is presumed innocent of criminal accusations unless they are proved, while Fernandes has continued to speak publicly about what she says happened to her.
Collien Fernandes Continues To Speak Out
For Fernandes, the issue goes beyond what she says happened during her marriage. She has argued that digital abuse can cause serious harm because victims may struggle to prove that fake images, accounts and conversations are not real.
She has also spoken about the personal impact of the case, saying she struggled to return to normal work and social life after discovering what had happened. She feared that people she knew might believe the fake material and think she had actually sent it.
The investigation remains part of a wider legal and social debate over how women can be protected from sexual images and identities being used without their consent. Fernandes has said she wants her case to help push stronger action against digital violence.
