Italian authorities have frozen nearly one million euros ($1.04 million) that had been transferred to a foreign bank account after a prominent businessman fell prey to an AI-voice scam, officials announced on Wednesday.
The fraudsters used artificial intelligence to impersonate the voice of Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, claiming they urgently needed financial help to secure the release of kidnapped Italian journalists in the Middle East.
Prominent figures such as fashion designer Giorgio Armani and Prada co-founder Patrizio Bertelli were among the targets, prosecutors in Milan revealed earlier this week. However, Massimo Moratti, former owner of Inter Milan soccer club, was the only known victim to send funds.
Authorities initially believed it would be challenging to recover the stolen money but confirmed on Wednesday that the funds were traced to a Dutch bank account and frozen.
“I’m very pleased that the money fraudulently taken from an entrepreneur, using my falsified voice and name, has been traced to a Dutch account and completely frozen,” Crosetto posted on X, praising the work of the magistrates and police forces.
Moratti had made two payments totaling nearly one million euros, reportedly under the impression that the Bank of Italy would reimburse him. After realizing he had been scammed, he filed a legal complaint last week. Speaking to La Repubblica, Moratti said, “It all seemed real. They were good. It could happen to anyone.”
The scam involved fraudulent calls from individuals posing as Italian defense ministry officials, with phone numbers appearing to originate from government offices in Rome. During the calls, the perpetrators handed the phone to a man impersonating Crosetto, who claimed the government could not be publicly involved in the transactions and requested funds.