The Italian business community is reeling after details emerged of a high-tech scam involving voice cloning.
Scammers impersonated Italy’s Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, in phone calls to prominent entrepreneurs, soliciting financial aid under the guise of rescuing kidnapped Italian journalists in the Middle East.
As reported by HotNews.ro, the scam convinced at least one businessman to transfer €1 million to a Hong Kong account.
Crosetto, who announced the scam on social media, stated that he would file a formal complaint after learning that his voice had been cloned and used in these fraudulent calls.
Prominent Business Figures Deceived
Among those who have filed complaints are Massimo Moratti, former owner of Inter Milan, and members of the Aleotti and Beretta families, who lead major companies such as Menarini and the world’s oldest firearm manufacturer, respectively.
Armani is also expected to file a complaint after scammers contacted his employees.
Moratti described how the scam felt highly convincing. "They were very good—it could happen to anyone," he told La Repubblica.
Similarly, Lucia Aleotti praised her vigilant personal assistant, who thwarted an attempt to defraud the pharmaceutical company Menarini.
Other targets include Diego Della Valle, owner of Tod’s, and Marco Tronchetti Provera, executive vice president of Pirelli.
Advanced Technology and Targeted Victims
Defense Minister Crosetto emphasized that the scammers were highly skilled and used advanced technology to replicate his voice.
"These are professional scammers who have both the technology and the ability to identify high-value targets," he stated in a television interview.
He added that the scammers deliberately targeted influential business figures, exploiting their sense of national duty.
The incident highlights growing concerns over the misuse of AI technology in fraud, prompting Italian authorities to investigate and issue warnings to potential targets in the business community.
