Mining and diamond magnate Beny Steinmetz was detained by Greek police over an arrest warrant issued by Romania. Steinmetz arrived in Athens on a private flight on Sunday, October 13, but was released shortly after. He has been barred from leaving the country while authorities resolve the matter, according to Reuters.
In December 2020, Steinmetz was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison for a $152 million land deal fraud by a Romanian court.
A representative of Steinmetz told Globes, an Israeli business news outlet, that “the Greek legal system has already definitively ruled against extraditing Steinmetz to Romania.” The spokesperson added that Steinmetz has been released until the legal process is finalized.
Steinmetz, 66, is a French-Israeli citizen. He began his career as a diamond trader in Antwerp, later co-founding Steinmetz Diamonds Group (SDG) with his brother Daniel. He expanded his business into mining, real estate, oil, and gas, becoming a major player in multiple industries.
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