Casablanca Imam Vanishes with $1.5 Million in Alleged Wholesale Fraud Scheme

He first presented himself as a muezzin and imam of the kissaria of Hay El Mohammadi. This is how he was able to gain the trust of the wholesale merchants in his locality and other kissarias of Casablanca, such as that of El Koréa. A business relationship was established between him and these wholesalers who, in full confidence, provided him with goods without demanding cash payment, let alone a guarantee check, reports Al Akhbar.

Once the goods were received, he would go and sell them in bulk and at half price in another city. The one the merchants of the kissaria of Hay Mohammadi nicknamed "El Abdi" will take his deception far. He will ask these merchants for a loan in order to pay an urgent order of goods. In less than an hour, they were able to mobilize him a sum of 300,000 dirhams with which he will subsequently disappear to an unknown destination.

In total, "El Abdi" managed to extort a minimum of 15 million dirhams from the merchants. Many victims have filed a complaint against him with the police. The latter is currently conducting an investigation.