Suicide-Faking Hedge Fund Fugitive Surrenders

Samuel Israel, the hedge fund founder who went missing just as he was supposed to report to prison for 20 years, is reportedly in police custody after surrendering early this morning. The NY Times reports Israel had been in Southwick, Massachusetts where he "was talking to his mother on the phone when he walked into a local jail and surrendered to the United States Marshals task force."

Israel, who was convicted of swindling hundreds of millions from investors in his Bayou Hedge Fund Group, left his SUV on Bear Mountain Bridge on June 9, with the keys still on the ignition and the words "Suicide is painless" written on the dusty hood. His girlfriend gave investigators a suicide note and claimed not to know more, only to later confess she helped him escape.

Many of the people he had scammed were skeptical Israel actually killed himself, suspecting he had run off the Caribbean or another island. Southwick, MA is about 117 miles from where Israel disappeared.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 2, 2008 12:44 PM

Comments [rss]

JenChungsBaby

Ok, whoops.......my mistake for putting any trust in the Post.

Snoopy

He comes from a prominent Jewish-American family with roots in New Orleans.

kaygigi

RE: 11 and 12-

This is why the Post is dreck and shouldn't ever be trusted. According to the Times, Israel's rabbi is one David Goldstein.

I'm Jewish, this is not to say Jews are more crooked than Christians or any of that nonsense. This is to say that the Post is a crap newspaper and shouldn't be trusted.

ed_Extinct

Apparently it's easier to in the US than it is to get out, with the exception of some cowardly Serbs.

ANGRYGOD11

A Christian crook and liar? Is there such a thing?

JenChungsBaby

What a putz. Twenty fucking years! Plus whatever gets added on for running. Better to keep running. Didn't he have money to get smuggled out of the country? The guy will be at least 68 when he gets out.

BTW, according to a friend of his he's not Jewish. A quote from the Post from several weeks ago when he disappeared:

But "Sam is a Christian man, and suicide, I don't think, was in his nature," said the friend, who requested anonymity.

From this story:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06122008/news/nationalnews/missing_scammer_scared_to_death_of_jail_115130.htm

Snoopy

What's a nice Jewish mother to do?

suepart

what a sucker. had the chance to blow out of town but stayed local.

JRod5417

""Suicide-Faking Hege Fund Fugitive Surrenders"

Worst. editor. ever."

Worst. comment. ever.

JacqueMehoff

One down a couple more white collar fugitives to go.

eyekantspel

The US Marshalls should have immediately taken him to the Bear Mountain Bridge and thrown him off, labeled it a suicide, case closed.

Spirit of 76

Probably knew the cops were looking out for him and he'd never be able to get out of the country. Better to go to Club Fed than live like one of those backcountry fugitives.