A con artist tricked dozens of residents of Shechem out of tens of millions of shekels, leading to gunfights in the city on Tuesday night. The con artist, a successful local businessman, convinced several families to give him their money, promising them a sizable return on what he called a “miraculous investment.” The man then disappeared.
Several members of Fatah, whose families gave a total of two million shekels to the con artist, took over his property in Shechem on Tuesday. Their actions caused others to worry that the Fatah men planned to take all of the property as compensation, leaving nothing for the man’s other victims. Several gunfights took place during the night as security forces attempted to prevent the armed takeover of the properties.
When asked how the families managed to collect so much money while the Palestinian Authority, which currently controls Shechem, is in a financial crisis, one of the victims explained that his family sold their valuables. His brother sold his Mercedes car and the women in the family sold their gold jewelry, he said.
Several members of Fatah, whose families gave a total of two million shekels to the con artist, took over his property in Shechem on Tuesday. Their actions caused others to worry that the Fatah men planned to take all of the property as compensation, leaving nothing for the man’s other victims. Several gunfights took place during the night as security forces attempted to prevent the armed takeover of the properties.
When asked how the families managed to collect so much money while the Palestinian Authority, which currently controls Shechem, is in a financial crisis, one of the victims explained that his family sold their valuables. His brother sold his Mercedes car and the women in the family sold their gold jewelry, he said.