Prosecutors: 3 Crooks Used AI Voice-Cloning Scheme to Steal

Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment against three men accused of orchestrating a massive fraud scheme that utilized AI to impersonate corporate executives and lawyers. The operation, which spanned roughly 18 months, successfully defrauded companies across the United States and Europe of more than $129 million.

What happened

The defendants—Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit—allegedly employed a consistent pattern of social engineering combined with advanced technology. Employees, typically in finance or accounting roles, would receive emails appearing to come from company executives. These emails often directed victims to sign nondisclosure agreements and participate in calls with individuals posing as attorneys from major global law firms. To maintain the ruse, the conspirators used a handwritten script titled “Lawyer Call,” which utilized regulatory jargon and threats regarding insider trading to pressure victims into secrecy and compliance.

Beyond voice impersonation, the group attempted to use deepfakes of chief executives during video calls to further convince employees to wire funds to accounts controlled by the perpetrators. Once the funds were transferred to accounts in various countries, including Austria, China, and the United Arab Emirates, the money was converted into cryptocurrency to obscure its origin.

Specific victims identified in the indictment include a regional hospital system in Missouri that lost $4.8 million, a British fintech company that lost $11.6 million, a Florida pet food company that lost $5 million, a California hospital system that lost $3 million, a Massachusetts mutual fund that lost $4.7 million, and a Rhode Island bank that lost $2.7 million. The three men, who used various aliases during the scheme, are currently awaiting extradition to the United States to face charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.