Federal prosecutors have charged three foreign nationals with orchestrating an international fraud scheme that allegedly used artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and attorneys, resulting in the theft of $129 million from companies worldwide.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the indictments on Thursday, accusing Jacob Soall (41), Sharon Hazan (54), and Guy Sheetrit (42) of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. The scheme spanned from July 2024 to February 2026, targeting thousands of companies across multiple industries.
Arrests and Extradition Status
Soall was arrested in Spain in June, Hazan in Spain in August, and Sheetrit in the United Kingdom in September. Extradition requests for all three are currently pending. Hazan has a prior conviction in New York for conspiracy to commit bank fraud in 2008, according to court documents.
How the Scheme Operated
Prosecutors allege the trio and their co-conspirators used AI to mimic the voices and images of corporate executives and attorneys at major law firms. The process typically involved:
- Initial Contact: Employees in accounting departments received emails purportedly from company CEOs requesting assistance with a confidential financial transaction.
- AI-Powered Impersonation: The defendants used AI to replicate the CEO’s voice and, in some cases, their image during phone or video calls.
- Fake Legal Coordination: The employees were instructed to contact attorneys at large international law firms, who were also part of the scheme.
- Fraudulent Transfers: Victims were directed to wire large sums of money to bank accounts controlled by the group.
- Money Laundering: The stolen funds were converted into cryptocurrency to conceal their origin before being distributed among the conspirators.
Victim Companies and Geographic Scope
The indictment lists five confirmed victims, including:
- 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
- A pet food company in Florida
The defendants are described as having nicknames such as “Rocky Balboa,” “Superman Cash,” “Fat Boy,” and “Impossible Mission.” Their alleged co-conspirators remain unidentified in court filings.
Legal Proceedings and Next Steps
The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Defense attorneys for Soall and Sheetrit have not yet responded to requests for comment. Hazan’s legal representation status is unclear, and court records remain sealed as of the latest update.
The DOJ has not disclosed whether additional arrests or indictments are expected. The case highlights the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud and the challenges law enforcement faces in tracking cryptocurrency transactions used to obscure illicit proceeds.