US Charges Trio in $129 Million AI Fraud Scheme
Criminals used deepfake voices and images of executives to swindle global firms out of millions.
The United States Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment against three men for a fraud scheme involving artificial intelligence. Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit were arrested in Spain and the United Kingdom for impersonating CEOs and attorneys from major corporations.
The group used AI tools to clone the voices and images of executives. With this technology, they convinced employees at various companies to perform bank transfers under the guise of confidential financial transactions. The operations took place between 2024 and 2026.
Victims included financial institutions, hospitals, and technology companies around the world. The total amount stolen exceeds $129 million. The funds were sent to bank accounts in countries such as the United States, Portugal, Greece, and China.
After receiving the payments, the defendants converted the resources into cryptocurrencies. This maneuver aimed to hide the origin and ownership of the stolen money before distributing it among the participants. The use of pseudonyms like Superman Cash and Rocky Balboa was also part of the group's strategy.
The technical sophistication in using AI for identity forgery poses new security challenges for the corporate sector. The rise of such scams may require greater investments in cybersecurity and internal verification processes at global companies.
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