Point72, Citadel among hedge funds hit by AI vishing…

In early August 2026, several prominent Wall Street money managers, including Citadel, Point72 Asset Management, Millennium Management, and Two Sigma Investments, were targeted in a coordinated wave of AI-powered voice phishing, or vishing, attacks. The attackers utilized voice cloning technology in an attempt to extract sensitive data from firm employees, marking a significant escalation in the use of automated synthesis tools against the financial sector.

What happened

The campaign involved attackers using AI to mimic the voices, tones, and phrasings of individuals to deceive staff into surrendering credentials or granting unauthorized system access. Point72 informed its investors of the attempt, noting that an initial review found no client information was compromised, though the firm continued to monitor the situation. Two Sigma confirmed that its security team successfully blocked the attempt, stating there was no impact on its data or systems.

Industry experts suggest these incidents highlight a shift in the threat landscape where AI tools have commoditized large-scale, targeted attacks. By lowering the barrier to entry, hackers can now automate and scale efforts that previously required significantly more resources. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has been in contact with member firms regarding the breaches, utilizing its Financial Intelligence Fusion Center to facilitate the sharing of fraud threat intelligence. The assault also reportedly extended to various private equity firms, underscoring a broader pattern of AI-powered social engineering targeting financial services throughout 2026.