{
  "id": 18425047,
  "title": "3 charged in scheme to use AI to impersonate CEOs and attorneys to steal $129 million",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/3-charged-in-scheme-to-use-ai-to-impersonate-ceos-and-attorneys-to",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-11-06T02:37:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/sci-tech/2026/11/05/3-charged-in-scheme-to-use-ai-to-impersonate-ceos-and-attorneys-to-steal-129-million"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Three individuals have been charged with using artificial intelligence to impersonate CEOs and attorneys, allegedly stealing approximately $129 million through a scheme that spanned over a year and a half. Jacob Soall, 41, Sharon Hazan, 54, and Guy Sheetrit, 42, targeted companies worldwide, including healthcare systems, banks, financial technology firms, mutual funds, and a pet food company. The defendants, from various countries, were additionally charged with money laundering. The scheme involved sending emails that appeared to be from the CEO, requesting assistance with financial transactions, and coordinating phone or video calls where the defendants used AI to mimic the CEO's voice and potentially appearance. The defendants then instructed the employees to wire large payments to bank accounts in different countries, which were later converted to cryptocurrency to conceal their origin.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Three individuals charged in AI impersonation scheme.",
    "Defendants targeted global companies including healthcare and banks.",
    "Scheme involved wire fraud and money laundering."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The use of synthetic voice and video to bypass corporate security protocols signals a new era of sophisticated identity theft that threatens the fundamental trust required for global financial transactions.",
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/18425047.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "3 charged in scheme to use AI to impersonate CEOs and attorneys to steal $129 million",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/3-charged-in-scheme-to-use-ai-to-impersonate-ceos-and-attorneys-to-18438467",
        "published": "2026-11-06T02:37:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "3 charged in scheme to use AI to impersonate CEOs, attorneys to steal $129 mil.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/3-charged-in-scheme-to-use-ai-to-impersonate-ceos-attorneys-to-steal",
        "published": "2026-11-06T02:52:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SecurityWeek",
        "title": "3 Charged in Scheme to Use AI to Impersonate CEOs and Attorneys to Steal $129 Million",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/3-charged-in-scheme-to-use-ai-to-impersonate-ceos-and-attorneys-to-18430575",
        "published": "2026-11-06T03:03:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}