Federal prosecutors in Manhattan indicted three men on Thursday for allegedly using artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and attorneys in a global fraud scheme that stole approximately 129 million from companies worldwide, according to The Times of India. The suspects, who were arrested between June and September, targeted accounting departments across several countries over an 18-month period.
The defendants are Jacob Soall, 41, of Spain and the United Kingdom; Sharon Hazan, 54; and Guy Sheetrit, 42, who resides in the United Arab Emirates. Each faces charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.
Modus Operandi: AI-Generated Impersonations
The group reportedly used aliases including Rocky Balboa, Superman Cash, and Fat Boy while executing their scheme. According to court documents, the men initially sent emails masquerading as company CEOs, requesting assistance with confidential financial transactions, such as corporate acquisitions. One defendant, Hazan, was also known to use the aliases Impossible Mission and Ron.
Once they established contact, the defendants allegedly arranged phone or video calls where they used AI technology to mimic the voices and, at times, the appearances of the executives.
On those calls, the defendants and their co-conspirators would use AI to mimic the voice and at times the image of the impersonated CEO in order to convince the victim employee that the transaction was real,
federal prosecutors stated.
The victims were then directed to contact a supposed attorney at a major law firm. Prosecutors allege these attorneys were also impostors. Soall reportedly utilized a handwritten script titled ‘Lawyer Call’ to maintain the facade of a legal professional during these interactions.
The impersonated attorney would ultimately direct the victim employee to wire a large sum of money in furtherance of that financial transaction to a particular bank account, which was in fact controlled by members of the conspiracy,
the indictment noted.
Accused Favored Mastering Rules over Bypassing Them
Details regarding the background of the accused emerged alongside the charges.
Regarding his professional philosophy, he expressed a preference for mastering the rules of a system to gain a competitive edge rather than seeking to bypass them.
Impact on Global Businesses
The scheme successfully defrauded a diverse range of organizations. Among the identified victims are:
- A United Kingdom-based financial technology company that lost $11.58 million in March 2025.
- A Massachusetts mutual fund company that lost $4.64 million in April 2025.
- A Florida-based pet food company that lost $5.2 million in June 2025.
- A Missouri hospital system that lost approximately $4.83 million.
- A Rhode Island bank that lost $2.68 million.
- A California hospital system that lost nearly $3 million.
Once the funds were transferred, the group reportedly converted the money into cryptocurrency to obscure its origins before distributing it among themselves and their associates.
Officials Link Financial Crimes to Advanced Technology Abuse
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. emphasized the evolving nature of such financial crimes.
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, Barnacle said
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jamie McDonald linked the case to the broader abuse of advanced technology.
As alleged, Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit abused groundbreaking super intelligence technology to impersonate real people and deceive corporate executives into sending them and their co-conspirators approximately $129 million, McDonald said
Hazan, who previously faced legal action in the United States, was convicted in a New York court in 2008 of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison term, according to the attorney’s office.