Photo credit: BI

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Two Israeli nationals have been arrested in Angeles City, Pampanga, for their alleged involvement in a massive investment scam. The Bureau of Immigration's (BI) Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) caught the men, identified as 30-year-old Beniashvili Tzahy and 25-year-old Liel Arzi, on September 5.

Acting on a tip, BI agents raided a commercial building on Henson Street where they found the duo operating a makeshift call center. The setup included multiple computers running various trading applications.

Further checks revealed that Beniashvili held a working visa, but for a different company than where he was found, while Arzi was only on a tourist visa. According to BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, this type of operation is not new. He said the group is known to move to smaller, more discreet locations like apartments and small offices to avoid detection, after a similar establishment was previously raided by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group.

The syndicate allegedly uses a business process outsourcing (BPO) setup to offer fake investment mentorship and trading opportunities. They reportedly target victims in Canada, Australia, the UK, and other countries, gaining unauthorized access to their bank accounts.

Both men are now in BI custody and are undergoing deportation proceedings. The BI stated that it plans to conduct more operations to crack down on similar foreign-run scam hubs across the country.