US charges three men with using AI to impersonate CEOs and lawyers in a $129 million fraud scheme
An indictment in Manhattan federal court says the group cloned executives' voices and images from July 2024 to February 2026 to get accounting staff to wire money; all three were arrested in Spain or the UK.
Why it matters
Prosecutors say the scheme targeted thousands of companies, including hospital systems in Missouri and California, a Rhode Island bank and a UK fintech that lost almost $11.6 million. The group allegedly paired AI-cloned CEO voices with fake attorneys posing as staff of some of the 50 largest law firms, then converted the money to cryptocurrency. It is among the largest US criminal cases so far built around AI impersonation. Watch for extradition rulings and whether any of the losses are recovered.
Key facts
- Defendants: Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan and Guy Sheetrit
- More than $129 million allegedly stolen
- Scheme ran from July 2024 to February 2026
- Seven counts including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft
- Arrests in Spain (June, August) and the UK (September)
- Indictment filed in the Southern District of New York