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U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation


In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. 219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604

 

 

September 2, 2004

Israeli National Arrested Following International Manhunt

Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of RAMI RABENU, age 38, a citizen of Israel who was last known to be living in the Chicago area. RABENU was arrested late Tuesday, without incident, by officers of the Bulgarian National Police in Sophia, Bulgaria.

RABENU has been the subject of an international manhunt since July 9, 2003, when he is believed to have fled the Chicago area. At the time, RABENU was awaiting trial on charges that he and three co-defendants had defrauded numerous Chicago area banks out of more than $500,000 by using counterfeit checks drawn on the accounts of legitimate bank customers.

RABENU was originally arrested by FBI Special Agents on January 15, 2003, after arriving in Chicago with several counterfeit checks, which were intended for use in this scheme. The next day, RABENU was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Bank Fraud. He was subsequently indicted by a Federal Grand Jury, charged with multiple counts of bank and securities fraud, both of which are felony offenses.

The Chicago FBI will be working with Department of Justice and Department of State officials to arrange for RABENU's return to Chicago to face these outstanding charges.

In announcing this arrest, Mr. Kneir said, "The investigation leading to the arrest of RABENU is a model of the international cooperation that's necessary for effective law enforcement in the 21st century."

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the indictment returned against RABENU is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645.




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