Morocco captures Israeli fraudster wanted by Interpol: Report

Moroccan security forces arrested an Israeli national, Avi Golan, 70, one of the most dangerous cross-border fraudsters who was wanted by Interpol, according to Israeli media.

Israel’s Channel 12 said Tuesday that “an elite unit of Moroccan police carried out a nighttime raid days ago on a luxury villa where Golan was staying,” adding that he was living under a false identity as “Yair Bibert.”

The report said the operation followed security coordination aimed at ending years of evasion, noting that Golan had moved between several countries, including Japan, Mexico and Germany.

It said Golan previously served around 35 years in Israeli prisons in connection with 100 criminal cases, and is accused of defrauding hundreds of victims by impersonating wealthy businessmen and international billionaires.

Channel 12 added that “using forged identities, he defrauded citizens in Brazil, Ecuador, and Argentina,” and in some cases “presented himself as an Australian millionaire tracing descendants of Spanish settlers.”

The report, citing sources within the Jewish community in Morocco, said Golan targeted victims by presenting forged banking documents and claiming to possess vast wealth to sustain a lavish lifestyle in Marrakesh.

Golan was transferred from Marrakesh to a central prison in Rabat after his arrest, pending extradition procedures, Channel 12 reported.

While there was no official statement from Moroccan authorities, the report said Rabat is in contact with counterparts in Israel and Germany to complete legal procedures.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.