Deepfake CEOs allegedly authorised $129 million in fake payments.

Three men have been charged with defrauding businesses of over $129 million between 2024 and 2026. Prosecutors say the accused used deepfake videos impersonating company executives and lawyers to convince employees to make wire transfers.

The employees believed they were following instructions from senior decision-makers. The deepfakes were reportedly convincing enough that staff authorised payments without further checks.

The dispute turns on proving which video calls were real and which were generated. A recording of a video call can show who appeared on screen, but not whether that person was actually present or synthesised by software.

A digital witness on each legitimate video call would have shown which sessions the real executives joined, timestamped and unalterable. That record could prove, in every disputed transfer, whether the person giving the instruction was the one the employee thought they were speaking to.