Three foreign nationals have been charged with using artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and attorneys at major law firms in a scheme that allegedly stole at least $129 million from hospitals, banks, and other businesses. According to an indictment unsealed Thursday in the Southern District of New York, employees were tricked into wiring money for confidential deals that did not exist.

Prosecutors say the operation targeted thousands of companies worldwide. After the money associated with the fake deals reached bank accounts controlled by conspirators, they say, it was converted into crypto before being divided among the participants.

“As criminals continue to weaponize emerging technologies, the FBI remains committed to rapidly adapting our capabilities to identify, investigate, and disrupt those who seek to harm New Yorkers and businesses operating in our communities,” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr., said in a statement.

The defendants are Jacob Soall, 41, of Marbella, Spain, and the United Kingdom; Sharon Hazan, 54, of Israel; and Guy Sheetrit, 42, of Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Each faces seven counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of money laundering. The wire fraud and money laundering offenses each carry maximum sentences of 20 years, while each aggravated identity theft count carries two years. Any potential sentence would be determined by a judge if the defendants are convicted.

Notably, Hazan was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in the same Southern District of New York in 2008, according to prosecutors.

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