Security
DOJ indicts three over alleged $129 million scheme using AI to impersonate CEOs and law-firm attorneys; extradition pending
US prosecutors indicted three foreign nationals over an alleged $129M fraud using AI to impersonate CEOs and lawyers. Presumed innocent; extradition pending.
Three people have been indicted, not convicted, and everything below is an allegation by prosecutors. According to reports on the indictment from the Southern District of New York, Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan and Guy Sheetrit allegedly ran a scheme from July 2024 to February 2026 in which AI was used to imitate company chief executives and lawyers at major law firms, with about $129 million reportedly stolen. All three are presumed innocent.
The essentials
- The charges: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering conspiracy and money laundering. Reported maximums reach 20 years for the fraud and laundering counts.
- The alleged method: an email to an accounting employee posing as the CEO, then a call in which AI allegedly mimicked the CEO's voice and sometimes image, then a referral to an impersonated attorney who gave wire instructions.
- The money: prosecutors say funds were converted to cryptocurrency and distributed. Reports put the total at about or more than $129 million.
- Where the case stands: Soall and Hazan were reportedly arrested in Spain and Sheetrit in the UK between June and September; US extradition requests are pending.
Who are the defendants?
Reports describe Soall (41), Hazan (54) and Sheetrit (42) as foreign nationals linked to Spain, the UK, Israel and the UAE. Prosecutors allege Soall mostly posed as UK-based lawyers, using a call script. Hazan was convicted in 2008 of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, according to coverage, and is alleged to have boasted of laundering over $400 million. These are allegations or past records, not findings in this case.
Who were the alleged victims?
Coverage names hospital systems in Missouri and California, a Rhode Island bank, a UK fintech, a Massachusetts mutual fund company and a Florida pet food company. Reports differ on scale: one says thousands of companies were targeted, another counts seven victims. We could not reconcile the two.
What do the defendants say?
Lawyers for Soall and Sheetrit did not respond to requests for comment, and it is unclear whether Hazan has an attorney. The docket was reported as still sealed.
What is not established
- Whether the defendants are guilty: nothing has been proven in court.
- Whether AI voice or image imitation was used as alleged: this is the prosecutors' account.
- How many companies were actually victimised: reports differ (seven named versus thousands targeted).
- Whether extradition will succeed, and when: requests are pending.
Summary table
| Point | What is stated as of November 6, 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Defendants | Jacob Soall, Sharon Hazan, Guy Sheetrit | CBS News, SecurityWeek |
| Alleged period | July 2024 to February 2026 | CBS News |
| Alleged loss | About or over $129 million | NBC News, CBS News |
| Arrests | Spain (two), UK (one); extradition pending | NBC News, SecurityWeek |
| Defense response | Two lawyers did not respond; docket sealed | NBC News |
FAQ
Have they been convicted?
No. They have been indicted and are presumed innocent. No trial has taken place.
Are the defendants in the US?
Reports say they were arrested in Spain and the UK, with US extradition requests pending.
Was AI really used?
That is the prosecutors' allegation: AI allegedly mimicked executives' voices and sometimes images during calls.
Method and limits
Sources checked on November 6, 2026. We did not read the indictment or the Justice Department press release; we relied on CBS, NBC, SecurityWeek and Fox 2 coverage. Victim counts differ between reports. This is not legal advice.
Sources
- NBC News: 3 foreign nationals allegedly used AI to mimic CEOs in $129M scheme, DOJ says (verified 2026-11-06)
- CBS News: Three charged with using AI to steal $129 million from companies by impersonating executives and lawyers (verified 2026-11-06)
- SecurityWeek: 3 Charged in Scheme to Use AI to Impersonate CEOs and Attorneys to Steal $129 Million (verified 2026-11-06)
- FOX 2 Detroit: Three accused of using AI to impersonate CEOs in fraud scheme (verified 2026-11-06)
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