GLOBAL, PUREWILAYAH.COM — A sprawling international investment scam operating out of “Israel” has defrauded more than 4,000 Australians, draining hundreds of millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims since 2021. The operation, exposed through a sweeping probe by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) alongside the OCCRP, Qurium, and amaBhungane, further shines a light on the unchecked criminal enterprises thriving within the “Israeli” entity.
Dubbed the “Sapphire Network,” the syndicate targeted Australians using fabricated news stories and counterfeit websites mimicking legitimate media outlets. Victims who engaged with the fake advertisements were funnelled into fraudulent trading platforms, where they were manipulated into believing they were executing legitimate, high-yield financial investments.
The financial devastation left in the network’s wake is profound. Investigators detailed harrowing accounts of defrauded citizens, including one Australian who lost $125,000 through a bogus platform known as The FBTC, only to be cut off once the funds were transferred. In early 2026, another victim was drained of over $500,000 after being directed to a website designed to look exactly like the ABC.
Behind the digital deception lies a sophisticated, cross-border money-laundering apparatus. Leaked documents and corporate records reveal a syndicate operating across “Israel”, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Cyprus, and Macedonia. At the centre of the probe is Shefi Goldberg, a 43-year-old “Israeli” businessman and the reported sole shareholder of Cyprus-based Allegiant Holdings (Smart Pay), a company allegedly used to process the stolen funds. Goldberg is also linked to a vast network of illicit telemarketing boiler rooms spanning “Israel”, South Africa, Spain, and the Philippines.
Additionally, Australian corporate entities like Trigo XO were reportedly exploited as laundering vehicles to scrub the stolen wealth.
For observers monitoring the activities of the “Israeli” regime, the exposure of the Sapphire Network serves as yet another glaring example of the systemic moral decay and organised criminality that operates with apparent impunity. It highlights a pattern of leveraging global financial loopholes and international connections to plunder ordinary citizens while international authorities scramble to dismantle their illicit pipelines.
Reference: Al-Mayadeen