Avi Golan's Arrest Marks the End of a Notorious Criminal Career
In a significant development, Avi Golan, a 70-year-old Israeli citizen notorious for his elaborate scams, has been apprehended in Marrakech, Morocco. This arrest, executed by an elite unit of the Moroccan police, comes after years of Golan evading capture while being sought by Interpol for orchestrating frauds that reportedly affected hundreds, if not thousands, of victims globally, primarily from Jewish communities. His capture occurred in early April, where he was operating under yet another false identity in a luxurious villa situated in an affluent neighborhood of Marrakech.
Golan, often described as "the conman with a thousand faces," had a long history of deceiving individuals by posing as a wealthy heir. According to reports from Israeli news outlet Mako, he had been using various aliases, shifting seamlessly from one persona to another to avoid detection. His modus operandi involved claiming to be a billionaire from Brazil or a prominent American businessman, allowing him to exploit the trust of unsuspecting Jewish and Israeli individuals, thus funding a lavish lifestyle while leaving significant financial harm in his wake.
A Life of Deception Across Borders
Over recent years, Golan's criminal activities primarily unfolded in South America, where he claimed identities such as "Alberto Safra" and "Jacky Safra," allegedly the sons of the late Brazilian banking magnate Joseph Safra. By leveraging his fabricated wealth, he managed to defraud numerous victims in Brazil, Ecuador, and Argentina. Even after relocating to Morocco, Golan did not cease his illicit operations, adopting the name 'Bibert' for his public persona while continuing to deceive local victims under different aliases, including "Shalom Ohayon" and "Aharon Zada." His arrest in Marrakech, as reported by H24 info, has led to his transfer to Rabat, where he awaits potential extradition to countries seeking justice against him. This incident underscores the cooperation between Moroccan authorities and international agencies in combating transnational crime.
As reported by courrierinternational.com.
