Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi was saved from an alleged assassination plot in Cyprus several days ago, immediately leaving the Mediterranean island after being warned by local authorities.
According to a report by the Greek-language media house Philenews last week, law enforcement detained a 38-year-old Azeri national carrying a Russian passport in the capital of Nicosia who was suspected of being hired to carry out a hit on Israeli businessmen on the island.
The suspect was reportedly arrested shortly after crossing the Agios Dhometios checkpoint in Nicosia from the Turkish-ruled breakaway northern part of the island.
Officers reportedly retrieved a gun, ammunition and a silencer from a car that the suspect had rented. Police are now searching after possible accomplices although they are believed that have fled the country after the arrest or to be hiding in Northern Cyprus.
Cypriot authorities have been keeping tabs on the suspect's movements for several days prior to his arrest.
Sources say the suspect arrived in the country through the international airport in Larnaca earlier this month and rented a car which he parked near a suburb of the capital where his alleged targets lived and worked.
He then rented an electric scooter and crossed the border between the southern and northern parts of the city several times while trying to keep a low profile.
The suspect was said to be uncooperative with authorities.
Sagi, 48, is the founder of the gambling software company Playtech and owner of London's Camden Market. According to Forbes, his personal wealth is estimated at $5 billion, with interests in real estate, gambling software, payments processing, and digital advertising - making him the sixth richest person in Israel.