Two Israelis Charged in US for $129 Million AI-Powered Global Fraud Scheme

A sophisticated international network, including two Israeli nationals, has been accused of defrauding companies worldwide of at least $129 million using advanced AI technology to impersonate executives. The scheme involved using artificial intelligence to mimic the voices and even faces of CEOs and other high-ranking officials to trick employees into transferring large sums of money. Three individuals have been indicted in Manhattan: Sharon Hazan, 42, and Guy Shitrit, 54, who also resides in the UAE, along with Jacob Sole, 41, who lives in Spain and the UK.

According to the indictment, the defendants and their associates identified employees authorized to make significant financial transfers. They then used AI to impersonate these executives, often sending electronic signature requests via platforms like DocuSign. In subsequent phone or video calls, they would replicate the target executives' voices and appearances. Employees were frequently directed to consult with fake lawyers from major international firms, who were also part of the ruse, and instructed to wire millions to accounts controlled by the network.

Sharon Hazan is alleged to have been primarily involved in laundering the illicit funds, using aliases such as "Superman Cash" and "Mission Impossible." The indictment states Hazan boasted about his money laundering expertise, claiming to be "number one in the world" and having laundered over $400 million in the past three years alone. This is not Hazan's first encounter with U.S. law; he was previously convicted in 2008 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Guy Shitrit, described as a successful entrepreneur in digital marketing and founder of Over The Top SEO, allegedly operated in the marketing sector, with his company even launching a division to help businesses improve their presence in AI responses. Previously, Shitrit spoke publicly about his lavish lifestyle, including owning a new Mercedes annually and a custom-built computer worth $200,000. The indictment details victims including a Missouri hospital system that lost $4.83 million, a Rhode Island bank from which $2.68 million was stolen, and a California hospital system that lost nearly $3 million.

Jacob Sole, also known as "Saba Clark" and "Rocky Balboa," specialized in impersonating British lawyers. Investigators found a handwritten script detailing how to convince employees to transfer funds without consulting others, citing reasons like insider trading concerns to prevent disclosure. The stolen funds were transferred to bank accounts across the U.S., Spain, Portugal, Greece, UAE, Singapore, Austria, Slovakia, and China, before being converted into cryptocurrency to obscure their origin. Sole was arrested in Spain in June, Hazan in Spain in August, and Shitrit in the UK in September. The U.S. has requested their extradition, with decisions pending. All three face up to 20 years in prison for charges including fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.