Fraudsters used artificial intelligence technology to impersonate Italy’s Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, in an attempt to extort money from prominent businessmen.
According to Bloomberg, they targeted well-known figures such as Prada’s co-CEO Patrizio Bertelli, fashion designer Giorgio Armani, executive vice chairman of Pirelli Marco Tronchetti Provera, and billionaire Massimo Moratti, former owner of the Inter Milan football club.
The fraudsters claimed that the money was needed to pay for the ransom of Italian citizens allegedly kidnapped or detained in Iran and Syria. Coinciding with these events, an Italian journalist was recently released from prison in Tehran. Massimo Moratti confirmed that he had transferred money to the fraudsters, though he did not specify the amount.
