New York — Three people accused of using artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and attorneys in a scheme that allegedly stole approximately $129 million have been indicted on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, prosecutors said Thursday.
According to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court in New York, Jacob Soall, 41, Sharon Hazan, 54, and Guy Sheetrit, 42, targeted thousands of companies worldwide over more than 18 months as part of the alleged AI-enabled fraud scheme.
The alleged victims included hospital systems in Missouri and California, a Rhode Island bank, a U.K.-based financial technology company, a Massachusetts mutual fund firm and a Florida pet food manufacturer, court documents state.
The defendants, who are from Spain, the United Kingdom, Israel and the United Arab Emirates, also face money-laundering charges, according to the indictment.
Soall and Hazan were arrested in Spain, while Sheetrit was arrested in the U.K. The arrests took place between June and September, and extradition requests for all three defendants remain pending.
Hazan was convicted in a New York court in 2008 of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The trio—whose aliases include “Rocky Balboa,” “Superman Cash” and “Fat Boy”—frequently focused on corporate accounting departments. Prosecutors say they sent emails that appeared to come from a company’s chief executive, asking employees to assist with a supposedly confidential financial transaction.
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They then arranged phone or video calls during which they allegedly used AI to replicate the CEO’s voice and, in some cases, appearance, according to the indictment.
The defendants would next direct employees to contact an attorney at a major law firm—another person the group was prepared to impersonate, court documents allege.
Soall primarily posed as attorneys from the U.K. and kept a “handwritten script titled ‘Lawyer Call’” that he used to appear to be a legitimate attorney while speaking with and defrauding victims, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The phony attorney would instruct employees to transfer large sums to bank accounts around the world, according to court documents. The money was then converted into cryptocurrency in an effort to obscure its origin before being distributed among the trio and other alleged participants.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. said the case illustrates how rapidly advancing technology can facilitate fraud on a massive scale.
“As criminals continue to weaponize emerging technologies, the FBI remains committed to rapidly adapting our capabilities to identify, investigate and disrupt those who seek to harm New Yorkers and businesses operating in our communities,” he said in a statement.
If convicted, the defendants could face up to 20 years in prison on the wire-fraud charges. Aggravated identity theft carries a maximum sentence of two years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
