Three Charged Over AI Impersonation Scheme That Stole $129M

How the scheme worked

The group often targeted accounting departments, court documents say. Employees received an email that appeared to come from the CEO asking for help with a confidential financial transaction. A phone or video call followed, in which the defendants allegedly used AI to mimic the CEO's voice and sometimes image.

Victims were then told to contact an attorney at a major law firm, a role the group was also prepared to play. Prosecutors say Soall mainly posed as UK lawyers and used a handwritten script titled "Lawyer Call" to sound credible. The fake attorney instructed employees to wire large payments to bank accounts around the world. The money was converted into cryptocurrency to hide its origin and then distributed to the trio and others.

Named victims include hospital systems in Missouri and California, a Rhode Island bank, a UK financial technology company, a Massachusetts mutual fund company and a Florida pet food company.

What happens next

The three were arrested between June and September. Hazan was convicted in New York in 2008 of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The case docket was still listed as sealed on Thursday evening, so defense lawyers were not identified.

If convicted, each count carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, except aggravated identity theft, which carries two years.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. said criminals continue to "weaponize emerging technologies" and that the bureau is committed to adapting quickly. The case shows how voice and video cloning can turn a routine payment request into large-scale fraud, putting pressure on finance teams to verify unusual transfers through independent channels.