The businessman primarily works in Greek Cyprus but visited the casino in the northern part of the island on January 15. At the entrance, he paid the cashier $3,000, which was suspected to be counterfeit. He was asked to wait after being informed that the banknotes "did not look good" and "appeared old."
Following this, he called a person who owed him money and instructed them to collect the disputed banknotes from an Israeli lawyer to settle the debt. He also sent a photo of the banknotes he had received. Shortly afterward, police officers were called to the casino and he was arrested.
Local authorities have rejected his claim that he unknowingly received the counterfeit bills from the lawyer. Meanwhile, Israel's Foreign Ministry and embassy in Greek Cyprus, as well as its embassy in Turkey, have not provided assistance. Northern Cypriot authorities, known for their strict stance on counterfeit currency offenses, are handling the case with severity.
The Israeli lawyer who allegedly provided the counterfeit money has also been arrested but for a separate case. He is suspected of defrauding elderly individuals with no family ties and could face several years in prison if convicted.
The detained Israeli's attorney, Nir Yaslovitz, said: "I hope that the prosecution and judicial system in Northern Cyprus will order my client’s release considering the fact that he was unaware the money he received was counterfeit.
"Logically and rationally, my client would never have dared to use counterfeit money at a casino had he known it was fake. Therefore, I hope and expect the authorities in Northern Cyprus to show him compassion and understanding and to order his release in the upcoming hearing," he added.
