Israeli billionaire escapes assassination attempt in Cyprus – report
An Israeli billionaire was rescued at the last minute from an assassination plot in Cyprus several days ago after being warned of the attempt, Channel 12 reported on Sunday. The man was later named Teddy Sagi, a well-known Israeli-Cypriot businessman who founded gaming software company Playtech and owns Camden Market in London.
According to the report, 49-year-old Sagi has been the target of an assassination plot in Cyprus due to debts he owes to Russian business partners. A hitman of Azerbaijani origin is said to have been waiting for Sagi there. According to Walla News, the assassin holds a Russian passport.
But Sagi fled the country at the last minute, after receiving a plot warning from the authorities, Channel 12 reported. According to Ynet, the assassin was arrested in Cyprus a few days later, after passing through the checkpoint of ‘Agios Dhometios in Nicosia from Turkey. reigned in the north of the country.
The attempted attack was originally seen as an Iranian plot to target the Israelis, but authorities now believe it was specifically against Sagi, and Iran may not be involved at all. According to Forbes, Sagi is worth $ 5.6 billion and is the fourth richest person in Israel.
Cyprus is home to around 3,500 Jews. It is a popular holiday destination for Israelis, less than an hour’s flight from Tel Aviv.