Project Sable: when a video call becomes a fraud.

The historical reference

The 2024 Arup case involved fraudulent video impersonation and approximately US$25.6 million in transfers. Project Sable uses fictional characters to demonstrate the underlying trust failure. The homepage case narrative distinguishes the original transfer amount from Arup’s later disclosure of £25.4 million in fraud and associated costs.

The implications extend beyond a fraudulent payment.

Synthetic impersonation threatens the trust surrounding an executive: the employee receiving a financial instruction, the assistant managing access, the family member responding to an urgent message, and the organization relying on a familiar identity. Financial loss is one consequence. Sensitive information exposure, operational disruption and damage to confidence in leadership communications are also material concerns.

Project Sable shows why this threat belongs in the executive protection conversation. The film is fictional, while the historical case and subsequent FBI reporting demonstrate the seriousness of the underlying exposure.

An earlier case. A wider threat landscape.

The threat now encompasses more than a single convincing video. Documented uses include voice impersonation, fabricated identities in recruitment, and fraudulent communications claiming government authority. The combination can affect an organization’s people, relationships, reputation and continuity.

Read five documented ways the synthetic-media threat has expanded →