Scammers Use AI Voice Clone of Italian Defense Minister to Target Business Leaders
Scammers in Italy used AI voice cloning to impersonate Defense Minister Guido Crosetto in calls to prominent business leaders, claiming to need funds for kidnapped journalists. At least one target transferred €1 million to the scammers before Italian authorities recovered the funds and prosecutors began investigating.
What happened
In early 2025, scammers used AI voice cloning technology to mimic the voice of Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto in telephone calls to prominent business leaders including Giorgio Armani and Patrizio Bertelli.
Callers posed as Crosetto or claimed to be staff from the defense ministry, stating they needed urgent financial assistance to secure the release of Italian journalists kidnapped in the Middle East. At least one target was convinced to make transfers totalling €1 million to an account in Hong Kong.
Reported impact
Massimo Moratti, former owner of Inter Milan, was duped into transferring €1 million to the scammers' account, believing he would be reimbursed by the Bank of Italy.
Prosecutors in Milan received four legal complaints from targeted business leaders and their organizations. Crosetto announced he would submit a legal complaint after his voice was cloned and used in the calls.
Index analysis
The scam targeted Italy's most prominent business leaders, including heads of fashion, pharmaceutical, energy, and retail companies, demonstrating the vulnerability of high-profile individuals to AI-based voice fraud.
Governance controls
Italian police managed to retrieve the stolen funds from Moratti's transfer. Some targets, such as the Menarini pharmaceutical firm, avoided falling victim to the scam due to alert staff who recognized suspicious elements in the calls.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.