$16.7 million and four passports: The Israeli arrested in Colombia

An Israeli citizen, Michael Mizrahi, 61, was arrested in Colombia following a Red Notice from Interpol, suspected of involvement in a $16.7 million fraud in Dubai. According to reports, he was carrying four passports and had previously been sentenced to five years in prison in the United Arab Emirates.

An Israeli citizen, Michael Mizrahi, 61, known by the alias 'El Banquero' (The Banker), was arrested at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, in a coordinated operation by Colombian police and Interpol, following a Red Notice. Mizrahi is wanted by the United Arab Emirates to serve a prison sentence for fraud, money laundering, forgery, and use of forged documents. According to the investigation, he was linked to a network that defrauded $16.7 million from the 'Khartoum' bank in Dubai using forged financial documents. Colombian media reported that he was carrying four passports from different countries, including Israel, Mexico, Canada, and Lebanon. In November 2022, he was sentenced to five years in prison in the UAE and fled to Spain, where the National Court rejected the extradition request. The fraud proceeds were transferred, among other destinations, to a company owned by him. An Interpol officer in Colombia stated that the arrest demonstrates the country's commitment to combating international organized crime.