Modern technology offers powerful tools for communication, but it also gives criminals sophisticated instruments for unprecedented scams. This is precisely what happened to Paolo Molesini, the former president of Fideuram, who became the victim of an international fraud scheme totaling €36 million. The trap sprang when Molesini received a WhatsApp message from someone posing as Carlo Messina, the CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo, urgently requesting a series of extraordinary wire transfers through Fideuram’s treasury for a confidential financial operation.
What made the plot diabolical was the use of artificial intelligence: the fraudsters perfectly cloned the voice of a prominent business lawyer well known to the victim, Paolo Nastasi, who was used as an intermediary to back up the fake Messina’s demands. Convinced of the situation's authenticity, Molesini authorized the fund transfers, with the bulk ending up in foreign accounts in China and Hong Kong.
Prompt intervention by international interbank cooperation systems made it possible to block and recover a large chunk of the €95 million initially wired out. However, €36 million remains unaccounted for, having been rapidly converted into cryptocurrencies. The case closely mirrors a 2025 scam targeting Massimo Moratti, who was defrauded using a similar script impersonating Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. Authorities are now utilizing international rogatory commissions worldwide to track down the digital loot.