Colombia Holds US$16.7M Dubai Fraud Suspect

COLOMBIA · SECURITY

Colombia is holding a Dubai fraud suspect, a 61-year-old Mexican-Israeli man stopped at Bogotá’s El Dorado airport under an Interpol red notice. Police announced the hold on Friday 16 October and say the United Arab Emirates wants him to serve a criminal sentence.

For US readers, the case shows that a red notice can stop a traveller at a Latin American airport, even on a layover. It also shows how an alleged bank fraud valued at about US$16.7 million is chased across borders.

What Colombian Police Said About the Dubai Fraud Suspect

The national police’s criminal investigation and Interpol directorate, known as Dijín, made the hold together with Migración Colombia, the immigration agency. Colombian outlets put the retention on Thursday 15 October, and the police statement followed a day later.

Police identified the man as Mikhael Mezrahi, who is also known as El Banquero and The Banker. They say the Emirates want him to serve a sentence for fraud, money laundering, forgery and use of forged private documents.

Colonel Elver Vicente Alfonso Sanabria, the police director of criminal investigation and Interpol, called the hold a significant result of international police cooperation. He said it shows Colombia’s commitment to fighting transnational organised crime.

The detainee was placed at the disposal of the Attorney General’s Office, through its International Affairs Directorate. Police say Colombia now awaits the diplomatic and judicial steps needed for his extradition to the Emirates.

What the Dubai Bank Fraud Case Alleges

Dubai investigators say the suspect is linked to an international network that allegedly defrauded the Bank of Khartoum in Dubai of 61.44 million UAE dirhams (about US$16.7 million, the conversion in the police statement). The Colombian police statement does not say when the money was taken.

The network posed as high-profile investors and as representatives of legitimate business projects, police say. It backed the pitch with false bank guarantees, contracts and financial documents.

Police say the group also held meetings and simulations to make its deals look legal. Part of the money allegedly went to companies linked to the suspect, including WYB AG General Trading, which police say he owns.

To gain time, the network sent false transfer orders and moved the funds abroad, according to the statement. The Emirati authorities see him, in a preliminary view, as a high-impact target.

El Tiempo, a Bogotá daily, adds that he carried four passports from different countries and a ticket to Venezuela. Those details are not in the police statement, and the paper describes his stop in Colombia as a layover.

How a Red Notice and Extradition Work in Colombia

Interpol describes a red notice as a request to police worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition. It rests on a warrant or court order from the requesting country, and each member country applies its own laws.

Under Colombia’s criminal procedure code, the requesting state sends its request through diplomatic channels with a copy of the sentence. The Supreme Court then gives an opinion, and a negative opinion binds the government.

If the court’s opinion is favourable, the government stays free to decide according to national interests, and it has 15 days after the file returns to issue its resolution. A person can also waive the full procedure and ask the court for a faster opinion.

Extradition is a politically charged topic in Bogotá, and our report Colombia’s President De la Espriella Says He Signed 85 Extraditions in Six Weeks shows how often the government signs such orders. The security side of the same relationship is in Colombia Arrests 5 Gulf Clan Suspects, 1 Wanted by US.

The wider setting for Colombia’s police and justice work is in Colombia Geopolitics Explained 2026. The people who shape its economy, and its appeal to foreign investors, are in Who Runs Colombia’s Economy, the Key Players in 2026.

What It Means for You

If you travel, the case shows that a red notice can lead to a hold even when you only change planes in Colombia. The police statement describes a targeted hold and mentions no risk to other passengers.

If you do business abroad, note that police say this network used false bank guarantees. Checking a guarantee directly with the issuing bank is a simple safeguard.

If you live in or visit the capital, nothing in the sources points to a wider risk in the city. Local context is in our Bogotá expat city guide and in What to Do in Bogotá in October 2026: BTS, Rock al Parque and SOFA.

What Is Not Known

The sources do not say which Emirati court issued the sentence police describe, when it was handed down, or whether it is final. They also do not say whether the Emirates have filed a formal extradition request or which treaty would apply.

No statement from the Dubai fraud suspect or a lawyer has been found, and the allegations are the Emirati investigators’ account as relayed by Colombian police. The governments of Mexico and Israel, whose passports he is said to hold, have not commented in the sources reviewed.

Police have not named other members of the network or said whether more arrests are planned. It is also unclear whether he will contest extradition or ask for the faster route.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened at El Dorado airport?

Police and immigration officers held a 61-year-old Mexican-Israeli man under an Interpol red notice requested by the Emirates. He was handed to the Attorney General’s Office while extradition steps are awaited.

Who is Mikhael Mezrahi?

Colombian police identify him as a 61-year-old man with Mexican and Israeli nationality, known as El Banquero and The Banker. They say the Emirates want him to serve a criminal sentence for fraud, money laundering and forgery.

How much money is involved?

Police say the alleged Dubai fraud against the Bank of Khartoum totals 61.44 million UAE dirhams (about US$16.7 million). The figure comes from the police statement and Emirati investigators.

What is an Interpol red notice?

It is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal action. It is not itself an arrest order, and each country applies its own laws.

Will Colombia extradite him to the Emirates?

That has not been decided. Colombian law requires a formal request, a Supreme Court opinion and a government resolution, and a negative court opinion binds the government.

Sources: La Patria, 16 October 2026 (Policía Nacional statement); El Heraldo, 16 October 2026; Minuto60, 16 October 2026; Infobae Colombia, 16 October 2026 (Migración Colombia information); El Tiempo, 16 October 2026; Interpol, Red Notices; Secretaría del Senado, Ley 906 de 2004, arts. 495 to 505.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief

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