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Lee Elbaz
Lee Elbaz, an Israeli woman convicted in August 2019 for binary options fraud, enters the Greenbelt, Maryland courthouse on July 25, 2019. Behind her is Larry Burton, an American man who testified during the trial that he lost $140,000 to the Israeli-run website BinaryBook.com (Photo credit: Times of Israel)
December 19, 2019, 7:18 pm
US jails Israeli binary options crook Lee Elbaz for 22 years; must repay $28m
Judge says CEO in $140m fraud targeted elderly, vulnerable victims; as she sobs, her lawyers claim she was ‘middle management,’ point finger at her bosses Yossi Herzog, Yakov Cohen
By Eric Cortellessa and Simona Weinglass
Austin Smith, owner of Wealth Recovery International that claimed to recover money for victims of binary options. (Facebook screenshot)
December 7, 2019, 4:04 pm
US jails binary options fraudster, who then claimed to help victims, for a year
As former Israeli immigrant Austin Smith prepares to serve his term, ex-legal counsel for Wealth Recovery International says she’s helping US authorities track down clients’ money
By Simona Weinglass
Lee Elbaz, an Israeli woman convicted in August 2019 for binary options fraud, enters the Greenbelt, Maryland courthouse on July 25, 2019. Behind her is Larry Burton, an American man who testified during the trial that he lost $140,000 to the Israeli-run website BinaryBook.com (Photo credit: Times of Israel)
October 9, 2019, 6:55 pm
Refusing bail, US judge deems binary options fraudster Lee Elbaz a flight risk
Israeli CEO of Yukom Communications, convicted in $145 million crime, is to be sentenced in December
By AP and Simona Weinglass
Liora Welles in a photo she uploaded to Facebook in December 2015. (Screenshot: Facebook)
September 21, 2019, 4:42 pm
US said to jail Israeli binary options sales agent Liora Welles for 14 months
Justice Department prosecutor said to tell judge that the investigation is ongoing and that Israeli-run scam continues to operate under new names
By Simona Weinglass
Lissa Mel in a photo that appeared on her Instagram profile shortly before her arrest.
August 30, 2019, 3:55 pm
In first, US jails Israeli binary options agent, an ex-reality TV star, for year
Lissa Mel pled guilty to her role in $145M fraud; must also pay $288K restitution to her victims; Yukom Comms CEO Lee Elbaz, convicted in same fraud, to be sentenced in Dec.
By Simona Weinglass
In this photo from July 16, 2019, Lee Elbaz arrives at federal court for jury selection in her trial in Greenbelt, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
August 7, 2019, 7:24 pm
Israeli binary options operative Lee Elbaz convicted in US in $145 million fraud
Elbaz oversaw fleecing of clients worldwide as CEO of Yukom Communications, one of 100+ binary options firms that ran from Israel until industry was banned after ToI reporting
By Simona Weinglass
In this photo from July 16, 2019, Lee Elbaz arrives at federal court for jury selection in her trial in Greenbelt, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
August 6, 2019, 10:05 pm
In bizarre twist, juror in binary options trial dismissed after overhearing talk
Deliberations in fraud case to begin again with alternate after juror tells Maryland judge he caught Hebrew conversation suggesting suspect Lee Elbaz is a bad person
By Simona Weinglass
Lee Elbaz arrives at federal court for jury selection in her trial in Greenbelt, Maryland, July 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
August 3, 2019, 3:26 pm
Fraud trial of Lee Elbaz to enter third day of jury deliberations
As the prosecution and defense await verdict, jury members ask for sticky notes, paper clips and a definition of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’
By Simona Weinglass
Lee Elbaz arrives at federal court for jury selection in her trial in Greenbelt, Maryland, July 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
August 2, 2019, 5:42 am
Jury hears closing arguments in fraud trial of Israeli binary options operative
Lee Elbaz was at the heart of massive fraud scheme, trained employees to lie, federal prosecutors say; defense attorney claims client never crossed line into criminal activity
By Michael Kunzelman
In this photo from July 16, 2019, Lee Elbaz arrives at federal court for jury selection in her trial in Greenbelt, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
August 1, 2019, 5:40 pm
Jury to begin deliberations in fraud trial of Israeli binary options operative
Jurors will first hear final arguments in case of Lee Elbaz, the ex-CEO of Yukom Communications who is accused of defrauding investors out of tens of millions of dollars
By AP and TOI staff
Liora Welles in a photo she uploaded to Facebook in December 2015. (Screenshot: Facebook)
July 30, 2019, 6:39 am
Convicted binary options operative: ‘I’m taking responsibility for what I did’
Liora Welles, one of thousands of Israelis who worked in widely fraudulent industry, tells US court at boss’s trial that ‘it took me a long time’ to realize magnitude of the crime
By Simona Weinglass
Lee Elbaz, an Israeli woman convicted in August 2019 for binary options fraud, enters the Greenbelt, Maryland courthouse on July 25, 2019. Behind her is Larry Burton, an American man who testified during the trial that he lost $140,000 to the Israeli-run website BinaryBook.com (Photo credit: Times of Israel)
July 28, 2019, 11:24 am
Israeli woman on trial for fraud called herself a ‘f-cking money-making machine’
FBI reveals conversations in which binary options operative Lee Elbaz took credit for allegedly fraudulent firm’s success, dished about her bosses, worried about traveling to US
By Simona Weinglass
Lee Elbaz arrives at federal court in her trial in Greenbelt, Md., Tuesday July 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
July 17, 2019, 3:54 am
US prosecutor: Israeli trained staff to lie repeatedly to binary options victims
At opening of landmark trial, Lee Elbaz, former CEO of Yukom Communications, alleged to have overseen ‘massive’ fraud; her lawyer says ‘She wanted her employees to work clean’
By AP and TOI staff
Lee Elbaz arrives at federal court in her trial in Greenbelt, Md., Tuesday July 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
July 16, 2019, 1:46 pm
Jury selection to begin in landmark US trial of Israeli binary options operative
Federal trial opens Tuesday for Lee Elbaz, former CEO of Yukon Communications, accused of fraudulently bilking investors out of tens of millions of dollars
By AP, David Horovitz and Simona Weinglass
BinaryBook's website homepage.
July 9, 2019, 9:38 pm
Ahead of fraud trial, US lays bare ‘multitude of lies’ of Israeli binary options
Confirming years of investigative journalism by The Times of Israel, US Justice Department describes the cynical modus operandi of crooks who stole billions from victims worldwide
By David Horovitz and Simona Weinglass
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