Three men have been charged in an alleged scheme that used artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and lawyers, tricking companies into sending at least approximately $129 million to accounts controlled by the group, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in federal court in Manhattan.
Prosecutors accused Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan and Guy Sheetrit of participating in a scheme that ran from at least July 2024 through February 2026. The defendants and their associates allegedly targeted thousands of companies worldwide, including employees authorized to approve large wire transfers.
A familiar voice and a confidential deal
The indictment describes messages that appeared to come from a company’s chief executive, sometimes delivered through an electronic-signature service. Employees were told they were helping with a confidential transaction and were asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement.
The group allegedly used AI to mimic executives’ voices and, at times, their images during calls. Employees were then directed to people posing as lawyers at major law firms, who requested transfers for transactions that prosecutors say did not exist.
The alleged losses included about $11.6 million at a British financial-technology company, $4.8 million at a Missouri hospital system and $2.7 million at a Rhode Island bank. The indictment does not identify those companies by name. Prosecutors also describe an attempted $2.85 million transfer at a New York investment bank that its back office stopped.
Payment controls face an AI test
For companies, the alleged scheme shows why a familiar face or voice is not enough to authenticate a payment request. The FBI advises companies to confirm transfer requests, verify changes in payment destinations and consider two-step verification for wire payments. It also warns about requests for secrecy or pressure to act quickly.
The indictment alleges that proceeds moved through bank accounts in several countries and were converted into cryptocurrency to conceal their source and ownership.
Soall was arrested in Spain in June, Hazan in Spain in August and Sheetrit in Britain in September, according to ABC News’s report on the prosecution. Extradition requests are pending. The charges include wire-fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
JBizNews Desk | Business & Technology
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