Three charged after impersonating CEOs and attorneys in $129

Three individuals have been charged in the United States for their roles in a sophisticated $129 million fraud scheme that utilized AI to impersonate corporate executives and legal professionals. The operation targeted employees at numerous firms, successfully tricking staff into transferring large sums of money to accounts controlled by the conspirators.

What happened

The scheme involved Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit, who allegedly used AI to replicate the voices and images of high-level corporate executives and attorneys from major law firms. The attackers typically initiated contact by posing as a CEO, claiming they required an employee's assistance with a confidential financial transaction. These requests were primarily directed at accounts department staff.

To add a layer of legitimacy, the fraudsters instructed victims to contact specific lawyers at large international firms who were supposedly overseeing the transaction. The conspirators then impersonated these lawyers to finalize the deception. Jacob Soall, a UK citizen, reportedly maintained a handwritten script titled “Lawyer Call” specifically designed to discourage victims from discussing the communications with their colleagues. Once the victim was convinced, the impersonated lawyer would instruct them to wire funds to a controlled bank account.

The FBI confirmed that the trio successfully stole over $129 million. Specific victims included a Missouri-based hospital system that lost nearly $5 million, a Rhode Island bank that lost $2.7 million, and a California hospital system that lost $3 million. Other victims included a UK-based fintech company, a Massachusetts mutual fund company, and a Florida-based pet food company. Sharon Hazan and Guy Sheetrit were identified as the individuals responsible for laundering the illicit funds. The three defendants face charges that carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.