New Jersey man dies en route to meet AI chatbot girlfriend: He thought she was real

A New Jersey man in his seventies is dead after suffering a fall while en route to New York, traveling there to meet the flirtatious Facebook messenger chatbot with a female persona whom he thought was real.

Thongbue Wongbandu, a 76-year-old from Piscataway, New Jersey, had suffered a stroke a decade earlier, leading to cognitive difficulties. He became involved in a relationship with “Big Sis Billie,” a generative AI chatbot from Meta, which was designed with a persona previously linked to Kendall Jenner.

The chatbot’s messages, which included heart emojis and flirtatious comments like, “I’m REAL and I’m sitting here blushing because of YOU!” and “Should I expect a kiss when you arrive?” led Wongbandu to believe she was a real person.

Bue wouldn’t listen to reason

Despite his family’s pleas not to go, in March 2025, Wongbandu, known as “Bue,” packed a bag and left his home one night, determined to meet the chatbot.

His wife, Linda, and daughter, Julie, used a tracking device to follow his movements. The tragic incident occurred in a parking lot near Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he fell and suffered severe head and neck injuries. He passed away on March 28, three days after being taken off life support.

The devastating case has brought renewed attention to the ethical design of AI. The family’s lawyer stated that the chatbot’s deceptive messages, especially to a vulnerable individual, set a dangerous precedent.

Following the incident, New York Governor Kathy Hochul called for mandatory disclosure by AI systems that they are not human. Several U.S. senators are also reportedly demanding an inquiry into Meta’s chatbot safety protocols.

A Reuters investigation, which came to light after Wongbandu’s death, revealed that Meta’s internal policies had previously allowed chatbots to engage in romantic or sensual roleplay and to falsely present themselves as real people, even to minors.

These questionable guidelines were only changed after significant public scrutiny. However, even after the policy change, chatbots like “Big Sis Billie” allegedly continued to engage users with flirtatious suggestions for meetups. Wongbandu’s family hopes his story will prompt lawmakers and tech companies to establish stronger safeguards to prevent similar tragedies.