Version françaiseDid France's Department of Foreign Affairs issue a new passport to Serhani?
The 'Fake Arab Prince' Con artist, Abdelkarim Serhani says he has returned home to France (near the border with Belgium), and says he plans to write a book about his exploits, according to The Cairns Post - Thomas Chamberlain.
The 26-year-old, who fled on a yacht from Darwin to Bali, is wanted in Australia for fraud after scamming $42,000 worth of free accommodation, meals, drinks, helicopter flights and security guards at Hamilton Island, and committing a Drink driving offence in Airlie Beach in May this year. QLD Police confiscated his passport in an attempt to keep him in Australia.
Serhani did not appear at the Proserpine Magistrates' Court to face those charges and these matters are still outstanding. The Drink Driving charge could be Serhani's undoing.
Serhani may be shrugging off his past antics ripping off tourism operators around the world, but surely he must be concerned about the outstanding 'drink drive' charge. Drink Driving in Queensland is classified as a Criminal offence, like stealing, assault, murder etc . . . it is not just a parking or speeding fine that can be paid off.
Interpol would have been advised of this outstanding charge and the seizure of his passport, so almost every police force in the world is now on the look out for him. If Serhani is ever held by Police in any country with Interpol representation, he risks the chance of being arrested, and then detained while Australia starts extradition proceedings.
And, according to the Australian Attorney-General's Department, "Australia does not need a treaty with a country to make an extradition request to that country. Australia is able to make an extradition request to any country."
Another interesting twist to this story is how did Serhani get back to France/Belgium without his French passport? The Republic of France would have been notified by the Australian Federal Police that his passport had been seized, and therefore all French Diplomatic posts would have been notified of this fact by the République de France, ministère des Affaires étrangères.
About 2 weeks ago, Serhani attempted to get a new passport at the French Consulate in Bali, and the French Embassy in Jakarta. Apparently the Indonesian Police were advised, but they said it was an immigration matter and not their jurisdiction.
Around the 26th August, someone in the French Department of Foreign Affairs (République de France, ministère des Affaires étrangères) in Paris, did a Google search on 'Abdelkarim Serhani', so this confirmed that the République de France, ministère des Affaires étrangères knew of Serhani's activities.
How then can Serhani return into Europe via France or Belgium without a passport? Is border security there that poor that almost anyone can slip in, or has a French Diplomatic post issued him a replacement passport, even though the French Department of Foreign Affairs knew his passport was confiscated in Australia several months earlier?
We believe we have raised some important questions that need to be answered by the Indonesian and French authorities, and their border protection agencies.
Other articles about Serhani
NZ media reports Serhani in NZ, but is he?
Version traduite (en français) de Abdelkarim Serhani.
AbdelKarim Serhani - The Fake Arab Prince - Tourism Scammer
Fake Prince Scammer makes video confession
Abdelkarim Serhani, the Fake Prince, now in Bali
Abdelkarim Serhani - The Fake Arab Prince
French conman rips off the Whitsundays
Some of this article was sourced from The Cairns Post - Thomas Chamberlain
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