Three people have been charged in a federal case alleging they used artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and lawyers and steal about $129 million from companies. The indictment was made public on November 5, 2026, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Prosecutors allege Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan and Guy Sheetrit targeted companies from 2024 to 2026. The indictment includes charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. The allegations have not been proven in court.
How prosecutors say the scheme worked
The defendants allegedly contacted company employees, often in accounting departments, posing as chief executives seeking help with confidential financial transactions. Prosecutors say they used AI to imitate executives’ voices and, at times, their images during calls or video meetings.
Employees were then directed to contact a supposed attorney at a major law firm. According to the indictment, members of the group impersonated lawyers as well, instructing employees to wire large sums to accounts around the world. Prosecutors allege the money was converted into cryptocurrency and distributed among the defendants and others.
The alleged victims included a hospital system in Missouri, a hospital system in California, a Rhode Island bank, a UK financial technology company, a Massachusetts mutual fund company and a Florida pet food company.
Soall was arrested in Spain on June 17, Hazan in Spain on August 5, and Sheetrit in the United Kingdom on September 7, according to prosecutors. Extradition requests for all three were pending when the indictment was announced.
The charges include conspiracy and wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering and two money-laundering counts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the defendants could face up to 20 years in prison, except for aggravated identity theft, which carries a maximum sentence of two years.
“As criminals continue to weaponize emerging technologies, the FBI remains committed to rapidly adapting our capabilities,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. said in a statement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announcement describes the allegations in the indictment.
Nicole French