Three foreign nationals have been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with an international fraud scheme that allegedly used artificial intelligence technology to impersonate corporate executives and attorneys, stealing more than $129 million from companies worldwide [1]. According to an indictment filed in the Southern District of New York, Jacob Soall (arrested in Spain in June), Sharon Hazan (arrested in Spain in August), and Guy Sheetrit (arrested in the United Kingdom in September) orchestrated the scheme, which ran from July 2024 to February 2026 [1].
The fraud operation employed a sophisticated three-step methodology: the perpetrators used AI technology to mimic the voices and images of corporate executives and attorneys at major law firms, then instructed employees—typically in accounting departments—that they needed assistance with confidential financial transactions [1]. The scheme would then direct victims to contact purported attorneys at large international law firms who were actually part of the conspiracy, before instructing employees to wire large sums of money to bank accounts controlled by the group [1]. Once funds were transferred, the conspirators converted the cash into cryptocurrency "in an attempt to conceal the source, ownership, and control of the stolen proceeds" [1].
The victims spanned multiple sectors and geographies, including an investment bank in New York, a hospital system in Missouri, a bank in Rhode Island, a hospital system in California, a financial technology company in the U.K., a mutual fund company in Massachusetts, and a pet food company in Florida [1]. Sharon Hazan allegedly played a key money laundering role, with prosecutors claiming he "boasted that he had been laundering money since 1994; that he had laundered over $400 million in just the past three years; and that, among professional money launderers, he was 'number one all over the world'" [1]. Hazan was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in the Southern District of New York in 2008 [1]. Jacob Soall impersonated U.K. attorneys using a script titled "Lawyer Call" to appear credible to victims [1].
CONCLUSION
This case represents a significant escalation in fraud sophistication, demonstrating how AI voice and image synthesis technology can be weaponized to bypass traditional corporate security measures and deceive employees across multiple industries. The $129 million theft and international scope underscore the urgent need for enhanced authentication protocols and employee training to combat AI-enabled impersonation schemes. The arrests across Spain, the United Kingdom, and ongoing prosecutions signal increased law enforcement coordination in combating transnational cybercrime.