Two Israelis Accused of $129 Million AI-Powered CEO Fraud Scheme in US
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Two Israelis, Sharon Hazan and Guy Shitrit, along with Jacob Stoll, are accused in the US of a $129 million fraud scheme using AI to impersonate CEOs. They tricked employees into transferring funds by mimicking executives' voices and impersonating lawyers. Hazan and Shitrit allegedly handled money laundering, with Hazan claiming to be the world's best. The accused face decades in prison if convicted, and extradition proceedings are underway.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Two Israelis, Sharon Hazan and Guy Shitrit, are accused of a $129 million AI-driven fraud in the US.
- The suspects used AI to impersonate CEOs and lawyers, tricking employees into transferring company funds.
- Jacob Stoll, a Spanish-British national, allegedly collaborated with the Israelis on the scheme.
- Hazan reportedly boasted about being the world's number one in money laundering.
- The accused face decades in prison if convicted on charges including wire fraud and money laundering.
- Hazan and Shitrit were arrested in Spain and the UK respectively, with extradition pending.
Two Israeli nationals, Sharon Hazan and Guy Shitrit, along with a Spanish-British man named Jacob Stoll, are at the center of a massive fraud scheme in the United States. The trio allegedly used artificial intelligence to impersonate senior executives, including CEOs, to trick employees into transferring hundreds of millions of dollars to accounts they controlled. The indictment, revealed in New York, details how the group stole over $129 million in the past two years.
According to the prosecution, Hazan and Shitrit, along with Stoll, targeted employees in positions of authority within various companies. They would initiate phone or video calls, using AI-generated voices to convincingly mimic those of company leaders. In some instances, they also impersonated lawyers, with Stoll reportedly writing legal scripts to enhance the believability of these calls. The fake executives and lawyers then instructed employees to wire substantial sums of money to bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
Prosecutors stated that the transactions were entirely fraudulent, and the employees who fell victim were not speaking with the actual CEO or legal counsel. Hazan and Shitrit were reportedly responsible for money laundering, with Hazan boasting about being the "number one in the world" at the practice. Stoll, who allegedly referred to himself as "Rocky Balboa," was responsible for crafting the legal scripts for the impersonations.
Authorities are currently investigating which companies were defrauded and which law firms were used as a cover. The indictment mentions a British fintech company that lost over $11.5 million and a Florida-based pet food company from which over $5 million was stolen. If convicted, the defendants face decades in prison on charges including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
Hazan was arrested in Spain in August, and Shitrit was apprehended in the UK in September. The US is awaiting their extradition following the issuance of warrants. Federal Prosecutor Jamie McDonald urged individuals and businesses to consider how to best protect themselves from this emerging threat.
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