Examples of group actions which are virtually W*-superrigid

Abstract

We show that if G is a discrete group which does not have the Haagerup property but does have an unbounded cocycle into a C_0 representation and if G acts on a finite von Neumann algebra B such that the inclusion B \subset (B \rtimes G) has the Haagerup property from below then any group-measure space Cartan subalgebra must have a corner which embeds into B inside B \rtimes G. Taking the action to be trivial we produce examples of II_1 factors N such that N \otimes M is not a group-measure space construction whenever M is a finite factor with the Haagerup property. Taking the action on a probability space with the Haagerup property from below we produce examples of von Neumann algebras which have unique group-measure space Cartan subalgebras. Taking profinite actions of certain products of groups we use the unique Cartan decomposition theorem of N. Ozawa and S. Popa and the cocycle superrigidity theorem of A. Ioana to produce actions which are virtually W*-superrigid.