Edimar Martins Travels 2,000 Kilometers to Meet AI Woman Who Doesn't Exist

Edimar Martins, a 49-year-old bricklayer from Imperatriz in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, traveled around 2,000 kilometers to meet a woman who does not exist. The woman he had met on the internet is a character generated with artificial intelligence.

Martins set off on Friday, October 9, for Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. There he ran out of money. He turned to City Hall and told a social worker that he had traveled so far for love because he was tired of being lonely. He received help with his return trip. Many people wanted to find a relationship, which is why he came, he said.

Character created for reach and sales

The character, known as Jéssica Oliveira or Jéssica Fazendeira, was created in 2025. She was meant to gain reach on TikTok and, as an affiliate partner, promote products on e-commerce platforms. The account had around 300,000 followers.

In a video that has since been deleted, the AI woman said she was looking for a man whom she wanted to provide for completely on her farm. "I really want to support you, you should come to my farm and never work again in your life," she said.

On Wednesday, October 14, the person behind the account admitted in a new video that the character was artificially generated. The woman had never spoken with anyone with this profile, he said, and the intention had been to generate reach for sales. The person responsible denies any direct contact with Martins. These statements could not be independently verified.

Back with his sisters

After more than a week away, Martins is back in Imperatriz with his sisters, the newspaper O Tempo reports. On the way back, he was stranded at the bus station in Tocantinópolis in the state of Tocantins. Truck drivers reportedly paid for his ticket all the way to his family.

Back in Maranhão, he posted a video on social media in which he joked about what he had been through. The case drew attention across Brazil.