Crimeupdated 2h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 15 September 2009Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit Charged in $129 Million AI Impersonation Scheme
3 Other2 Western Alternative1 Israeli3 Other source typesPhoto: Americasroof, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cropped for layout
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Three individuals, including two Israelis, charged in U.S. with $129M AI impersonation scheme. Scheme impersonated CEOs and lawyers with AI to steal about $129M from thousands of companies.
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$129M AI fraud charges
Federal prosecutors charged Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, and Guy Sheetrit in the United States with fraud, impersonation, and money laundering tied to an alleged $129 million AI-powered scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said the indictment alleges the scheme ran from approximately July 2024 through February 2026 and targeted thousands of companies worldwide.
The indictment alleges the fraud began with an AI-generated executive voice and ended with a wire transfer directed by an impersonated attorney.
The indictment alleges the conspirators converted stolen funds into cryptocurrency to conceal the money’s source, ownership, and control.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said the charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, with potential sentences of up to 20 years on most counts.
Who did what
Prosecutors said Jacob Soall, 41, allegedly acted primarily as an impersonated attorney from the United Kingdom and used a handwritten script titled “Lawyer Call.”
Prosecutors said Sharon Hazan, 54, and Guy Sheetrit, 42, faced charges that include involvement in laundering the proceeds.
The indictment identifies aliases associated with the defendants, including “Rocky Balboa,” “Superman Cash,” and “Fat Boy.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said Soall was arrested in Spain in June 2026, Hazan in Spain in August 2026, and Sheetrit in the United Kingdom in September 2026.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. said, “As criminals continue to weaponize emerging technologies, the FBI remains committed to rapidly adapting our capabilities to identify, investigate, and disrupt those who seek to harm New Yorkers and businesses operating in our communities,” he said in a statement.
Victims, routes, and risk
Prosecutors said the scheme targeted companies including hospital systems in Missouri and California, a bank in Rhode Island, a financial technology company in the United Kingdom, a mutual fund company in Massachusetts, and a pet food company in Florida.
The indictment described specific alleged losses, including a Missouri hospital system lost approximately $4.83 million, a Rhode Island bank lost approximately $2.68 million, and a California hospital system lost approximately $2.97 million.
The indictment alleges wire transfers were directed through bank accounts spanning the United States, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Austria, Slovakia, and China.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said the wire-fraud conspiracy and money-laundering counts each carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years, and aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory additional two-year term.
The DOJ press release quoted U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald saying, “SI technology offers tremendous potential. But the public should recognize that there are some who seek to use this emerging technology to pursue criminal goals,” in the release.