International Syndicate Steals $129 Million Using Advanced AI Deepfakes
An international cyber syndicate stole $129 million from global corporations using advanced AI voice and facial cloning. Three suspects, including two Israelis, face federal charges in Manhattan for orchestrating the sophisticated corporate fraud scheme.
A federal indictment unsealed in Manhattan reveals that an international cyber syndicate stole at least $129 million from global corporations using advanced artificial intelligence voice and facial cloning technologies. Three suspects have been charged in connection with the massive fraud scheme, including two Israeli nationals: 54-year-old Sharon Hazan and 42-year-old Guy Sheetrit, who also resides in the United Arab Emirates. The third defendant is 41-year-old Jacob Saul, who splits his time between Spain and the United Kingdom.
According to federal prosecutors, the perpetrators targeted corporate employees authorized to transfer large sums of money. The fraudsters impersonated company chief executives using AI-generated deepfakes, conducting fraudulent phone and video calls alongside electronic signature requests sent through platforms like DocuSign. Victims were instructed to consult impersonated attorneys from leading international law firms and subsequently transferred millions of dollars to accounts controlled by the criminal network.
Elaborate Fraud Schemes and Extravagant Lifestyles
Sharon Hazan, who allegedly oversaw money laundering operations for the syndicate, reportedly boasted to associates that he has been laundering funds since 1994 and considers himself the world's number one money launderer. Federal records indicate Hazan was previously convicted in a New York federal court in 2008 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Corporate filings in the United Kingdom show he previously served as a director for a London-registered IT consulting firm.
Guy Sheetrit operated in the digital marketing sector as the founder and CEO of Over The Top SEO, a company that recently launched an AI optimization division. Known for promoting an extravagant lifestyle, Sheetrit frequently boasted in interviews about purchasing a new Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG annually, collecting high-value internet domains, and utilizing private aviation for urgent travel.
Jacob Saul allegedly specialized in impersonating British lawyers, utilizing handwritten scripts instructing employees on how to bypass corporate protocols and avoid internal consultations under the guise of insider trading regulations.
Global Victims and Arrests
Victims of the sophisticated scam included a Missouri hospital system that lost $4.83 million, a Rhode Island bank that suffered a $2.68 million loss, a California healthcare network, a British fintech firm, and a Florida pet food manufacturer. Stolen funds were funneled through bank accounts spanning multiple jurisdictions, including the United Arab Emirates, China, and the United Kingdom, before being converted into cryptocurrencies to obstruct tracing efforts.
All three defendants were apprehended in recent months: Saul in Spain in June, Hazan in Spain in August, and Sheetrit in the United Kingdom in September. The United States has formally requested their extradition. Each defendant faces seven criminal counts, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, carrying potential prison sentences of up to 20 years.
