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Opens the app if installed, or Google Play to download it.Three men, including two Israeli nationals, have been indicted in the United States for allegedly using artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and attorneys in a fraud scheme that prosecutors say cost companies around the world approximately $129 million.
The defendants, Jacob Soall, 41, Sharon Hazan, 54, and Guy Sheetrit, 42 face charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. The indictment was filed in a US District Court in New York, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The three men collectively hold citizenship in Spain, the United Kingdom, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Prosecutors allege that they targeted thousands of companies over more than 18 months, using AI-generated voices and, in some cases, images to make their impersonations appear convincing.
According to court documents, the accused primarily targeted employees working in corporate accounting and finance departments.
The group allegedly sent emails posing as company chief executive officers, asking employees to assist with confidential financial transactions. They would then arrange phone or video calls in which they allegedly used AI technology to imitate the executives’ voices and sometimes their appearances.
During these interactions, employees were instructed to contact lawyers from major international law firms to complete the supposed transactions. Prosecutors allege that members of the group were also prepared to impersonate those lawyers to make the requests appear legitimate.
The employees were subsequently directed to transfer large sums of money to bank accounts located in different countries. The funds were allegedly converted into cryptocurrency to conceal their origins before being distributed among the accused and other participants.
The alleged victims included hospital systems in Missouri and California, a bank in Rhode Island, a financial technology company in the United Kingdom, a mutual fund company in Massachusetts and a pet food company in Florida.
Prosecutors say the scheme involved thousands of companies and caused losses totalling approximately $129 million.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, Soall mainly impersonated lawyers based in the United Kingdom. Investigators also reportedly found a handwritten script titled “Lawyer Call”, which he allegedly used to make himself sound like a genuine attorney while speaking to victims.
The three defendants were arrested between June and September 2026. Soall was arrested in Spain in June, Hazan was arrested there in August, and Sheetrit was arrested in the United Kingdom in September.
The indictment also states that Hazan was convicted in a New York court in 2008 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Lawyers representing Soall and Sheetrit did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It was not immediately clear whether Hazan had legal representation. The US Attorney’s Office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. said the case demonstrated how advanced technology could be exploited to carry out large-scale financial fraud.
“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.
If convicted, the defendants could face up to 20 years in prison for several of the charges, including wire fraud and money laundering. Aggravated identity theft carries a separate mandatory two-year prison sentence, according to prosecutors.
The charges remain allegations, and all three defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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