Israeli national wanted in $16.7 million Dubai fraud case arrested in Colombia

A 61-year-old Israeli national, Mikhael Mezrahi, known as "El Banquero," was arrested at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, in a joint operation by Colombian police and Interpol. He is wanted by the UAE to serve a prison sentence for fraud, money laundering, forgery, and use of falsified documents in a $16.7 million Dubai fraud case. Mezrahi was carrying four passports and was preparing to board a flight to Venezuela.

A 61-year-old Israeli national, Mikhael Mezrahi, known by the nickname "El Banquero" (The Banker), was arrested at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, in a joint operation by Colombian police and Interpol. Mezrahi is wanted by authorities in the United Arab Emirates to serve a five-year prison sentence for fraud, money laundering, forgery, and the use of falsified private documents. Investigators allege he was connected to an international network that defrauded a bank identified as Khartoum in Dubai of approximately $16.7 million using fraudulent financial documents. Colombian media reported that Mezrahi arrived in Bogotá on a flight from Madrid and was preparing to board a connecting flight to Venezuela. He was reportedly carrying four passports issued by different countries, including Israeli, Mexican, Canadian, and Lebanese citizenship. Mezrahi was sentenced in the UAE in November 2022 before fleeing to Spain, where the country's National Court rejected an extradition request. His business activities include securities companies in the UK and real estate and tourism projects in Canada and Mexico. He was also reportedly the subject of previous investigations in Canada related to drug trafficking. Colombian police hailed the arrest as a significant achievement in international law enforcement cooperation.