US prosecutors accuse 3 men of AI CEO impersonation fraud

In short: Federal prosecutors allege three men used AI-made voices and images to impersonate executives and lawyers, tricking companies into wiring more than $129 million.

What happened

Federal prosecutors say Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit ran a scheme from July 2024 to February 2026. According to an indictment, they used AI-generated voices, and sometimes AI-made images, to pretend to be company CEOs and attorneys.

Prosecutors allege the group targeted employees who could approve large money transfers. The indictment says a target would first get an email that looked like it came from the CEO. Then the employee would receive a phone call or a video meeting where the “CEO” appeared to speak and sound real, but was allegedly an AI imitation (like a digital voice double).

After that, prosecutors say the employee was directed to supposed lawyers, who were also allegedly impersonated, and urged to move money for a “confidential” deal. The money was wired to bank accounts around the world and then converted into cryptocurrency, prosecutors allege. Cryptocurrency is digital money that can be moved quickly and can be harder to trace, like cash sent online.

Named victims included hospital systems in Missouri and California, a Rhode Island bank, a U.K. financial technology company, a Massachusetts mutual fund company, and a Florida pet-food company.

The three men face charges including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Why it matters

Scams like this can bypass normal warning signs because a familiar voice or face can make an urgent request seem real. The case is a reminder for workplaces to verify large transfers using a separate, trusted method, such as calling a known number, not the one provided in an email.

Source: NYTimes