AI Voice Deepfake Impersonates Secretary Rubio Targeting Diplomats, Officials

In mid-June, an impersonator used AI-generated voice and text to mimic U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, contacting at least five high-level officials, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a member of Congress via the encrypted messaging app Signal. The individual created a Signal account with the spoofed email display name "Marco.Rubio@state.gov" and left voice messages and texts aiming to manipulate targets into revealing sensitive information or granting access to accounts. The U.S. State Department issued a cable warning diplomats and consular posts about the incident, urging vigilance against such impersonation attempts and confirming that a thorough investigation is underway. Officials have not disclosed the content of the communications or the identities of those targeted, but emphasized that impersonating a federal official with intent to defraud is a criminal offense. The incident reflects a broader trend of AI-enabled scams targeting government and business leaders, with experts warning of increased cybersecurity risks. The FBI and State Department declined to comment further, while U.S. authorities continue to assess and strengthen security measures to prevent similar attacks.