Missouri hospital system AI media incident — Nov 2026

An international criminal network orchestrated a sophisticated fraud scheme by using AI-generated voices and faces to impersonate corporate executives and lawyers, successfully tricking employees into transferring over $129 million. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have charged three men—Sharon Hazan, Guy Sheetrit, and Jacob Soall—with orchestrating the operation, which targeted businesses across the globe.

What happened

The defendants allegedly targeted employees authorized to move large sums of company capital. The process often began with messages sent through electronic signature platforms like DocuSign, followed by phone or video calls where the attackers used AI to mimic the voices and, in some instances, the faces of high-level executives. To add legitimacy, employees were directed to consult impostor lawyers who claimed to represent major international firms.

To ensure compliance, the network utilized a handwritten script titled "Lawyer Call," which provided instructions on how to pressure employees into transferring funds without seeking internal verification. The script specifically advised impostors to claim that the transaction involved a publicly traded company, warning that discussing the deal with colleagues could trigger accusations of insider trading. If employees questioned the secrecy, they were told that other staff members had not yet signed the necessary nondisclosure agreements.

The scale of the financial damage was significant. Victims included a Missouri hospital system that lost approximately $4.83 million, a British financial technology company that lost $11.58 million, and a Florida pet food manufacturer that lost $5.24 million. Other victims included a Rhode Island bank, a California hospital system, and a Massachusetts mutual fund company. In one instance, a New York investment firm narrowly avoided a $2.85 million loss when its operations department intervened at the last moment.

Once the funds were transferred to accounts in various countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and China, the money was converted into cryptocurrency to obscure its origin. The FBI has highlighted this case as a stark example of how AI-driven social engineering can bypass traditional security by manipulating employees into authorizing fraudulent transactions themselves.