Prosecutors Charge Three Over $129 Million Scheme That Used AI to Impersonate CEOs

According to an Associated Press report, three people have been indicted in New York on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft over a scheme that allegedly stole about $129 million. Prosecutors say Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit used AI generated voices and images to pose as company executives and attorneys, and that the scheme ran from July 2024 to February 2026. Reports say the callers often targeted accounting departments, and that Soall and Hazan were arrested in Spain and Sheetrit in the United Kingdom, with the US seeking extradition. These are allegations, and no one has been convicted. The practical lesson for finance teams is to confirm any unusual payment request through a second, known channel, whatever the voice on the call sounds like. For more, visit the Associated Press report on ITV.