Israeli Suspect Detained in Morocco Seeks Citizenship to Block Extradition to Germany

An Israeli citizen held in a Moroccan prison for the past five months is seeking Moroccan citizenship in an effort to avoid extradition to Germany, where he is wanted on suspicion of large-scale Forex fraud, according to Israeli media reports.

The suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, was detained by Interpol in June at Casablanca airport after arriving from Dubai, where he had been vacationing with his family. German authorities believe thousands of German citizens may have been affected by the alleged scheme, with estimated losses reaching tens of millions of euros.

Investigators allege that the businessman, a French-born Israeli national, rented a large office complex in central Israel and additional offices in several Eastern European cities around three years ago. Dozens of employees allegedly posed as investment company owners, persuading mainly German clients to invest funds that were ultimately lost.

Israel's economic crime unit Lahav 433 previously conducted an investigation and sought to freeze assets worth tens of millions of shekels, including a villa in Herzliya valued at around 25 million shekels. Those efforts were unsuccessful.

While being held in a prison in Rabat, the suspect has argued that his arrest is unlawful and has demanded Moroccan citizenship on the grounds that his grandmother was Moroccan. "My grandmother is Moroccan, and I demand citizenship. I cannot be extradited from Morocco," he said, claiming there is insufficient evidence to justify his detention.

According to the Israeli outlet Mako, sources familiar with the case said the citizenship request has contributed to delays in the extradition process, as Moroccan courts must first rule on the claim before making a final decision.

A Moroccan source quoted by the outlet said the suspect's financial resources would not affect the outcome. "The evidence presented by the German authorities is strong, and even if he were a Moroccan citizen, this would not prevent extradition," the source said, adding that a decisive hearing is expected soon.