Arrest of an Infamous Con Artist
On April 22, 2026, Moroccan security forces made a significant breakthrough in their fight against fraud by apprehending a 70-year-old Israeli national named Avi Golan. This arrest, which has been widely reported by Channel 12 in Israel, marks the end of a long and dubious criminal career that spanned multiple countries and involved numerous victims. Golan, who adopted various aliases, including 'Yair Pippert', was known for his elaborate schemes in which he defrauded hundreds, if not thousands, of people globally by posing as a wealthy heir to vast economic empires.
Channel 12 described Golan as a 'man of a thousand faces', highlighting his ability to deceive and manipulate his victims using forged identities and passports. He was reportedly wanted in several countries under Interpol warrants due to his extensive history of fraudulent activities. The Moroccan police's decisive action to arrest him is expected to shed light on a series of complaints that have emerged in both Morocco and Israel, prompting an investigation into his actions.
Details of His Crimes and Background
Golan's fraudulent exploits included impersonating a businessman from Miami to raise funds for the resettlement of Moroccan Jews to Israel, successfully swindling a victim out of 5,000 shekels before his deception was uncovered. In another instance, he almost ensnared an individual from Beit El by soliciting donations for food packages intended for Jews in Morocco, only to be thwarted when the victim noticed inconsistencies in his story.
With approximately 35 years spent in prison due to various fraud and forgery charges, Golan has amassed nearly 100 criminal cases against him in Israel. His criminality persisted even after a televised interview where he vowed to abandon his life of crime. Instead, he was incarcerated for an additional four years about a decade ago for defrauding state institutions and a family member. His departure from Israel left a trail of victims in countries such as Japan, Mexico, Germany, and South America. In Morocco, authorities discovered a forged document from Deutsche Bank indicating that Golan held a fictitious account with a balance of 31.3 million euros under an alias.
As reported by khaberni.com.
