We examine the properties of existentially closed (${}^{\omega }$-embeddable) II₁ factors. In particular, we use the fact that every automorphism of an existentially closed (${}^{\omega }$-embeddable) II₁ factor is approximately inner to prove that Th() is not model-complete. We also show that Th() is complete for both finite and infinite forcing and use the latter result to prove that there exist continuum many nonisomorphic existentially closed models of Th().

We study II${}_1$ factors $M$ and $N$ associated with good generalized Bernoulli actions of groups having an infinite almost normal subgroup with the relative property (T). We prove the following rigidity result : every finite index $M$-$N$-bimodule (in particular, every isomorphism between $M$ and $N$) is described by a commensurability of the groups involved and a commensurability of their actions. The fusion algebra of finite index $M$-$M$-bimodules is identified with an extended Hecke fusion algebra, providing the...