They impersonated CEOs with artificial intelligence and stole 129 million dollars

The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging three people with using artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate CEOs and lawyers, tricking employees into transferring funds and stealing more than $129 million. Prosecutors say the defendants cloned executives' voices and images with AI to build an international fraud network. The case matters because it shows how generative AI is making impersonation scams cheaper and more convincing, raising pressure on companies to verify payment instructions through multiple channels. What to watch next: whether the defendants contest the charges, how much of the $129 million is recovered, and whether firms tighten internal controls on wire transfers.