US authorities have arrested three men and charged them with fraud, money laundering, and identity theft, on suspicion of using artificial intelligence technologies to clone the voices and images of CEOs and lawyers at various companies, deceiving employees into transferring millions of dollars to bank accounts worldwide.
According to an indictment recently unsealed by the US Department of Justice, the defendants are Jacob Suul, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Shitrit. They are suspected of involvement in a fraudulent scheme that lasted between 2024 and 2026, resulting in the misappropriation of over $129 million from companies in the United States and other countries.
Cloning voices and images of officials to deceive employees
According to a statement issued by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the defendants used AI technologies to alter voices and images, impersonating executives and lawyers at multiple companies.
They would contact employees, impersonating officials at their companies, and ask for their help in executing sensitive financial transactions. Afterward, they directed them to contact lawyers at major international law firms, before impersonating those lawyers themselves and convincing the employees to transfer large sums of money to specified accounts.
Suul and Hazan were arrested in Spain last summer, while Shitrit was arrested in the United Kingdom in September.
Over $129 million from companies worldwide
US Department of Justice data indicates that the total funds seized by the defendants exceeded $129 million, with the fraud operations targeting companies and institutions across various sectors.
Among the most notable amounts cited in the investigations:
About $5 million from a hospital group based in Missouri.
Approximately $2.7 million from a bank in Rhode Island.
About $3 million from a medical institution in California.
Over $4.6 million from a mutual fund based in Massachusetts.
About $5 million from a pet food company in Florida.
Over $11 million from a British technology company.
The defendants directed employees to transfer funds to bank accounts in several countries, including the US, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the UAE, Singapore, Austria, Slovakia, and China.
After completing the transfers, the funds were converted into cryptocurrencies in an attempt to conceal their source, ownership, and the entities controlling them, before distributing the proceeds among the defendants and their alleged co-conspirators.
US authorities warn against employing AI in crimes
US officials warned against exploiting the rapid development of AI technologies to carry out large-scale fraud operations.
US Attorney Jimmy McDonald stated that AI has great potential, but it is necessary to recognize that some may exploit this technology to achieve criminal goals.
For his part, James C. Barnicle Jr., an official at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), confirmed that the case illustrates how advanced technologies can be employed in widespread fraud operations, noting that the Bureau is working to develop its capabilities to monitor, investigate, and confront these crimes.
The three men were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering in several incidents, in addition to aggravated identity theft.
The charges remain within the framework of judicial proceedings, and the involvement of the defendants has not yet been proven by a judicial ruling.
