Israelis Among Three Charged in $129 Million Global AI Fraud Scheme

An international network has allegedly stolen at least $129 million from companies worldwide using advanced AI technology to impersonate executives in voice and video calls. Three individuals have been charged in the Manhattan federal court, including two Israelis: Sharon Hazan, 54, arrested in Spain, and Guy Shitrit, 42, who resides in the UAE and was arrested in London. The third defendant is Jacob Sole, 41, who lives in Spain and the UK.

According to the prosecution, the defendants and their associates would identify employees authorized to transfer large sums of money. They would then use AI to impersonate the company's CEO, sometimes sending messages via electronic signature systems like DocuSign, and later mimicking the executives' voices and even faces in phone and video calls. The employees were directed to consult with lawyers from major international firms, who were also part of the scheme, and instructed to transfer millions of dollars to accounts controlled by the network.

Sharon Hazan, allegedly a key figure in laundering the fraud proceeds, reportedly boasted about his skills, claiming to have been laundering money since 1994 and to have laundered over $400 million in the past three years alone. He was previously convicted in a 2008 U.S. federal court for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Hazan was listed as a director of Get Media Services, an IT consultancy registered in the UK in 2020, with a Tel Aviv address at the time; the company was dissolved in 2021.

Guy Shitrit, the second Israeli defendant, is described as a successful entrepreneur in digital marketing and the founder and CEO of Over The Top SEO. His company's website highlights his international operations in areas including cybersecurity and AI. Shitrit has spoken publicly about his lavish lifestyle, including owning a new Mercedes annually, a vintage gold Rolex, and a custom computer worth $200,000. He also reportedly arrived at a luxury event in Dubai in August 2023 via private jet, performing as a singer.

The third defendant, Jacob Sole, allegedly 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 maintain secrecy. Victims named in the indictment include 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. Other victims include a British fintech company, a Massachusetts mutual fund company, and a Florida pet food manufacturer.

The funds were transferred to bank accounts across various countries, then converted into cryptocurrency to obscure their origins. The three defendants were arrested between June and September, and the U.S. has filed extradition requests. They face charges including fraud, identity theft, and money laundering, with potential maximum sentences of 20 years per offense. The FBI is using this case to highlight how advanced technologies can be exploited for massive fraud, as the employees themselves willingly transferred the money after being deceived.