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

According to the indictment, the network operated for over 18 months between 2024 and 2026, targeting thousands of organizations, including hospitals, banks, investment firms, and a British fintech company. The group used advanced artificial intelligence to mimic the voices and appearances of company CEOs during phone and video calls. They contacted employees authorized to make financial transfers, claiming an urgent need for funds to complete confidential transactions, such as corporate acquisitions.

To complete the deception, the defendants directed the employees to consult with fake lawyers from prominent international firms, who were also part of the scam. These impersonators, using scripts allegedly written by Suele, instructed the victims to wire large sums of money to bank accounts controlled by the network. The stolen funds were then funneled through multiple countries and converted into cryptocurrency to obscure their origin.

Sharon Hazan, who has a prior 2008 U.S. conviction for bank fraud conspiracy, is accused of money laundering alongside Shitrit, a digital marketing CEO. Hazan reportedly boasted of laundering money since 1994 and claimed to be the best in the world at it. If convicted of charges including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison.