America uncovers fraud network that used AI to steal $129 million

The US Department of Justice announced charges against three individuals for stealing over $129 million from companies and financial institutions worldwide, using artificial intelligence to impersonate the voices and images of executives and lawyers. The defendants are Jacob Sol (41), Sharon Hazan (54), and Guy Shechter (42), facing charges of fraud, money laundering, and identity theft, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. According to the indictment, the operation was carried out between 2024 and 2026, targeting companies in the United States and other countries. The scheme began with emails appearing to come from the company's CEO, requesting employee assistance in completing a secret financial transaction. The participants then arranged phone or video calls with employees, using AI to mimic the executive's voice and image, making the communication appear genuine. In the next phase, the impersonator would ask the employee to contact a lawyer at a large international law firm.