# US DOJ indicts three foreigners for allegedly using AI to impersonate CEOs in $129M fraud

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-11-06T17:35:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/us-doj-indicts-three-foreigners-for-allegedly-using-ai-to-impersonate

## Summary

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have charged three foreign nationals with a multi‑year fraud scheme that allegedly used artificial‑intelligence‑generated voices and images to pose as corporate CEOs and attorneys. The indictment says the scheme ran from July 2024 to February 2026, tricking accounting staff at companies worldwide into wiring more than $129 million to accounts controlled by the conspirators. Jacob Soall, who used aliases such as “Rocky Balboa,” was arrested in Spain in June; Sharon Hazan, known as “Superman Cash,” was detained in Spain in August; and Guy Sheetrit was taken into custody in the United Kingdom in September. Prosecutors allege the trio used AI to mimic executives, then directed victims to “lawyers” who were also part of the plot, before converting the stolen funds into cryptocurrency to obscure their origin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office highlighted the emerging threat of “SI‑enabled” crime and urged businesses to strengthen safeguards.

The charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money‑laundering, each carrying up to 20 years in prison. Hazan, previously convicted of bank‑fraud conspiracy in 2008, allegedly boasted of laundering over $400 million in the past three years.

## Key points

- Three foreign nationals were indicted for an AI‑driven fraud that stole over $129 million from companies worldwide
- The scheme used AI‑generated voices and images to impersonate CEOs and attorneys between July 2024 and February 2026
- Charges include wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money‑laundering, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison

## Why it matters

The case shows how synthetic‑media AI can be weaponized for large‑scale financial crime, prompting regulators and businesses to reassess security and verification practices.

## Sources

1. [The US DOJ indicts three foreign nationals for allegedly using AI to impersonate CEOs and attorneys at major international law firms in a $129M+ fraud scheme](https://nbcnews.com/news/us-news/3-foreign-nationals-allegedly-used-ai-mimic-ceos-129m-scheme-doj-says-rcna607818) (nbcnews.com, 2026-11-06)

## Cite

Digest AI, "US DOJ indicts three foreigners for allegedly using AI to impersonate CEOs in $129M fraud", 6 November 2026, https://digestai.news/story/us-doj-indicts-three-foreigners-for-allegedly-using-ai-to-impersonate

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