Abdelmoumene Rafik Khalifa
(born 1 October 1966) is an Algerian businessman living in London. He was condemned in
Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
to a life sentence, charged of criminal association, corruption, abuse of trust, and forgery. His trial was one of the largest in Algeria involving the embezzlement of more than $1 billion through a range of Khalifa-linked companies.
Career
Rafik is the son of Laroussi Khelifa a former minister. He started his career as a
pharmacist
A pharmacist, also known as a chemist in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English, is a healthcare professional who is knowledgeable about preparation, mechanism of action, clinical usage and legislation of medications in ...
.
In 1998, he founded
Khalifa Bank, which managed the interests of small private shareholders and institutional shareholders related to the Algerian government. Continuing his activities in France, he quickly created an empire which employed 14,000 people. He was in the luxury cars rental business, before founding Khalifa TV in France,
Khalifa Airways, and buying a private hotel in
Cannes
Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
—which had belonged to the eccentric billionaire known as
La môme Moineau— in .
Owner of three villas in Cannes, Rafik Khalifa wanted to create a ''
ville nouvelle'' named "Algeria," triggering the attention of French media. He became close to the French show-business, getting to know
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor. An icon of French cinema, considered a world star in the same way as Alain Delon or Brigitte Bardot, he has completed over 250 films since 1967, most of which as ...
and
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress. She is considered one of the greatest European actresses on film. In 2020, ''The New York Times'' ranked her as one of th ...
. However, in 2003, a judicial liquidation of his endebted firm was started. Khalifa then used shady methods to save his assets. An investigation revealed the disappearance of 50 million euros in the Khalifa Bank of Algiers. Khalifa was then suspected of having spent the money of personalities close to the Algerian
President Bouteflika. 17 judicial investigations were opened against him, who took refuge in London in 2003.
The Khalifa Bank was closed on orders of Bouteflika.
Khalifa like Bouteflika belong to the same unchanged political regime since 1962.
Trials
Khalifa's trial involved more than 100 defendants and 200 witnesses. In , he was condemned in Algeria, ''
in absentia
''In Absentia'' is the seventh studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released on 24 September 2002. The album marked several changes for the band, with it being the first with new drummer Gavin Harrison and the f ...
'', to a
life sentence
Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment under which the convicted individual is to remain incarcerated for the rest of their natural life (or until pardoned or commuted to a fixed term). Crimes that result in life imprisonment are c ...
, charged of criminal association, corruption, abuse of trust, and forgery.
A few days earlier, on 5 March 2007, the
French justice had also issued a
European arrest warrant
The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) is an arrest warrant valid throughout all member states of the European Union (EU). Once issued, it requires another member state to arrest and transfer a criminal suspect or sentenced person to the issuing stat ...
against him.
The Court of
Nanterre
Nanterre (; ) is the prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located some northwest of the centre of Paris. In 2018, the commune had a population of 96,807.
The eastern part of Nanterre, b ...
had opened an investigation against Khalifa in 2003, charged of fraudulous bankruptcy, abuse of social assets (''abus de bien sociaux''; i.e. corruption) and
money-laundering
Money laundering is the process of illegally concealing the origin of money obtained from illicit activities (often known as dirty money) such as drug trafficking, sex work, terrorism, corruption, and embezzlement, and converting the funds into ...
.
[
London authorized Khalifa's ]extradition
In an extradition, one Jurisdiction (area), jurisdiction delivers a person Suspect, accused or Conviction, convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, into the custody of the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforc ...
in the end of August 2007.[ Algeria has also issued an international arrest warrant against him.][ Khalifa was extradited to Algeria in .] Khalifa was sentenced to a 18-year imprisonment.
See also
*Politics of Algeria
Politics of Algeria takes place in a framework of a constitutional semi-presidential republic, whereby the President of Algeria is head of state while the Prime Minister of Algeria is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the g ...
References
External links
*
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Dossier de L'Express
Interpol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khalifa, Rafik
1966 births
Living people
Fugitives wanted by Algeria
Algerian expatriates in the United Kingdom
Algerian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Algeria
People convicted in absentia
People extradited from the United Kingdom
People extradited to Algeria