U.S. Prosecutors Charge Three Individuals in $129 Million Deepfake Fraud Scheme
U.S. prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have unsealed charges against three men—Jacob Soall, 41, Sharon Hazan, 54, and Guy Sheetrit, 42—for their alleged involvement in a $129 million deepfake fraud scheme. The indictment, filed in the Daniel Patrick Moynihan US Courthouse in Manhattan, details how the scheme operated from July 2024 to February 2026. The perpetrators allegedly used artificial intelligence to impersonate company chief executives and lawyers, deceiving corporate executives into transferring large sums of money. The fraud typically began with a message seemingly from a CEO, asking an employee with transfer authority to assist with a confidential deal. The employee would then be directed to call a 'lawyer' who was part of the network, providing payment instructions. The group utilized AI to mimic the voice and sometimes the face of the real executives during these calls, making the requests appear legitimate. Funds obtained through the fraud were subsequently moved to accounts in...
