Heaven, the iconic LGBTQ+ nightclub in Charing Cross, London, faced closure after a series of fake complaints were submitted — written by people who did not exist and almost certainly generated using artificial intelligence.
Around 20 complaints were lodged against the venue on Villiers Street, prompting a sound test and threatening its licence. Owner Jeremy Joseph described the ordeal as 'the worst time of my life', noting the club was already closed due to an ongoing rape trial when the letters urged the council not to allow it to reopen.
Local property boss Aldo d'Aponte, 47, admitted to writing two of the fake letters after his IP address was traced. His legal team had earlier used an AI detector to confirm the complaints were almost certainly produced by AI, though this evidence was not used in court.
During d'Aponte's hearing, he expressed regret but Joseph was unable to read his victim impact statement due to the guilty plea. The defendant received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £26 victim surcharge.
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, called the case 'a significant moment' for the integrity of the UK's licensing system, highlighting the need for 'stronger safeguards' against such abuses.
