Israeli mining magnate Beny Steinmetz held in Greece on Romanian arrest warrant – by Agencies and ToI Staff (Times of Israel – October 14, 2024)

https://www.timesofisrael.com/

Businessman detained hours after arriving on private aircraft at Athens International Airport; Romania has convicted him in absentia for real estate fraud

French-Israeli diamond mining magnate Beny Steinmetz was detained in Athens on an arrest warrant issued by Romania, police and legal sources said on Monday. The 68-year-old was detained on Sunday, hours after arriving on a private aircraft at Athens International Airport, police sources said.

A European arrest warrant was issued against him on behalf of Romania on accusations related to being part of a criminal organization, a police official said on condition of anonymity. Steinmetz was expected to appear before a prosecutor later Monday.

Romania convicted Steinmetz in absentia for real estate fraud and in December 2020 sentenced him to five years in prison. An initial Interpol “red notice” to detain Steinmetz was ordered, but later canceled due to concerns that the trial against Steinmetz was “politically motivated,” his spokesman said last year when the businessman was similarly detained in Cyprus, but then released on bail.

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