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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [INTERNATIONAL]

3 clusters · 29 sources · 5 days · First seen · Last updated

Israeli citizens found safe in Argentina after Vienna search

Overview

The disappearance of Mali Yahalomi, 50, and her daughter Liel, 23, has concluded with the women being located safe in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Local Argentine police discovered the pair on a long-distance bus after they had been missing since August 7.

Investigations by the Israel Police, Lahav 433, and Europol suggest the disappearance was a carefully planned attempt to vanish and start new lives. Evidence indicates the pair traveled from Prague through Vienna and Germany before flying to Argentina. To evade detection, the women reportedly used artificial intelligence to research countries without extradition agreements with Israel and learned how to purchase mobile devices without identification. They took specific steps to obscure their tracks, such as deleting mobile applications, clearing search histories, and purchasing new phones.

While initial concerns involved potential kidnapping or terrorist motives, Vienna police confirmed the women left Austria of their own free will. A message found during the investigation, in which Liel wrote to her mother, ‘I will go with you anywhere,’ suggests the daughter was a willing participant.

Authorities have ruled out criminal activity, threats, or violence. Although rumors of a financial scandal involving Mali Yahalomi, an employee of the Bank of Jerusalem, caused a temporary 12.4 percent drop in the bank’s stock, both the bank and the family denied any irregularities. Investigators found no evidence of embezzlement or illegal activity. After being interviewed by an Israeli police representative in Argentina, the two women were released to continue their journey.

Entities

Israel Police · Liel Yahalomi · Mali Yahalomi · Mossad · Vienna police

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

  • "There was no unusual use of Mali Yahalomi's bank accounts prior to the disappearance." jewishpress.com

    vs

    "Mali Yehlomi withdrew at least 50,000 NIS in cash before her departure." www.srugim.co.il

    One claim states there was no unusual use of Mali Yahalomi's bank accounts, while the other states she withdrew at least 50,000 NIS in cash before departing.

Timeline

  1. 1 day ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 13 sources
    Israeli women located safe in Argentina after international search

    Israeli mother and daughter Mali and Liel Yahalomi have been found safe in Argentina after a planned disappearance involving international travel and the use of AI to evade tracking.

  2. 3 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 13 sources
    Mali and Liel Yahalomi found safe in Argentina after Vienna disappearance

    Missing Israeli mother and daughter Mali and Liel Yahalomi have been found safe on a bus in Argentina after voluntarily leaving Vienna, Austria.

  3. 6 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 11 sources
    Vienna investigation probes disappearance of Israeli mother and daughter

    Israeli mother and daughter Mali and Liel Yahalomi are missing in Vienna. Investigators now suspect they may have disappeared voluntarily after finding evidence of deleted digital data and cash withdrawals.

Sources

93fm.co.il · amp.krone.at · bild.de · blesk.cz · byznys.lidovky.cz · cafetorah.com · elizipori.co.il · europesays.com · hm-news.co.il · israelhayom.com · jdn.co.il · jewishpress.com · juedische-allgemeine.de · kipa.co.il · kroativ.at · kronline.at · lapaginajudia.com · lasvegasnvblog.com · m.novinky.cz · matzav.com · observatorial.com · openSecrets.org · sgu.no · srugim.co.il · tageblatt.com.ar · thefinlander.com · wien.orf.at · worldisraelnews.com · zene.net

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history