AI Messaging Scam Costs Italy’s Top Bank Intesa Millions, Sources Say
Authorities say €53 million was recovered after fraudsters used AI to impersonate executives and route stolen funds through overseas accounts and cryptocurrencies.
- On Friday, fraudsters using AI to impersonate senior executives stole €95 million from Fideuram, the private banking arm of Intesa Sanpaolo, according to sources.
- The scheme began in February when then-Fideuram Chairman Paolo Molesini received a fake WhatsApp message from Intesa Sanpaolo CEO Carlo Messina, followed by a call using AI-cloned voice technology from a fake law firm partner.
- Believing the request genuine, Molesini instructed transfers to accounts in China and Hong Kong. Authorities in China, Portugal, and Italy later recovered roughly €53 million, though €36 million remains missing after conversion to cryptocurrencies.
- Milan prosecutors have placed a foreign national living outside Europe under investigation for computer fraud. Sources confirmed that neither Molesini nor other Fideuram executives are currently under investigation.
- Last year, fraudsters using AI voice-cloning technology persuaded businessman Massimo Moratti to transfer nearly €1 million to an overseas account, underscoring the rising threat of AI-driven financial schemes targeting high-profile figures.
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AI messaging scam costs Italy's top bank Intesa millions, sources say
Fraudsters using AI to impersonate senior executives stole €95 million ($108 million) from Fideuram, the private banking arm of Italy's biggest lender Intesa Sanpaolo , two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.
The President of De Nederlandsche Bank, Olaf Sleijpen, was a guest on WNL Op Zondag on Sunday. During the broadcast, a recent fraud case in Italy was discussed, in which the Southern European country's largest bank fell victim to fraud using AI. According to the bank president, this is a major risk.
Intesa Sanpaolo Bank AI Scam: Fraudsters Steal INR 10,000 Crore Using Fake Executive Calls | 🌎 LatestLY
Fraudsters allegedly used AI-generated voices and fake WhatsApp messages to impersonate senior executives, tricking officials at Fideuram, the private banking arm of Italy’s Intesa Sanpaolo, into transferring around €95 million (approximately $108 million) to overseas accounts, according to two sources familiar with the matter. 🌎 Intesa Sanpaolo Bank AI Scam: Fraudsters Steal INR 10,000 Crore Using Fake Executive Calls.
Fake Messina (Intesa) says to Molesini: "We buy a foreign bank" and he makes the transfers The article Swindled the former president of Fideuram. Stacked 95 million with IA and Whatsapp comes from The Truth.
Scammers have stolen 95 million euros from a subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's largest bank, using AI. Although...
Scammers have managed to steal 95 million euros from the private arm of Italy's largest bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, using AI tools. Although more...
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