Serial Con Man Posing as Reservist Arrested After Year-Long Manhunt

Israeli police have arrested a serial con artist who allegedly defrauded dozens of people across the country over the past three years. The suspect, who posed as a reservist soldier in financial distress, was apprehended after a year-long investigation that pieced together similar MOs from numerous fraud cases. He operated in cities including Kiryat, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and in the South.

Investigators believe the suspect approached individuals, claimed he was a reservist who had lost his wallet and was facing financial hardship, and convinced them to lend him money before disappearing. The total amount defrauded is estimated to be tens of thousands of shekels.

In one particularly cynical case, the suspect befriended a woman who uses a wheelchair. He asked her for a small loan, claiming he was called up for reserve duty. He then took her credit card to withdraw cash for her from an ATM, but instead, he allegedly withdrew thousands of shekels without her knowledge, then vanished and cut off contact. He was recently located and arrested through inter-agency cooperation.

During his interrogation, the suspect confessed to the alleged crimes. His detention has been extended multiple times at the police's request. A statement of charges is expected to be filed against him soon, followed by a request to detain him until the end of legal proceedings.