Trio Jailed for Kidnapping Israeli Music Producer in Wales "highly sophisticated planning"

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A terrifying ordeal in West Wales when a Jewish-Israeli music producer, Itay Kashti, was lured from London under false pretenses and violently kidnapped. The three men responsible—Faiz Shah, 23, Mohammad Comrie, 23, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20—have now been sentenced to over eight years in prison each after their meticulously planned attack was thwarted.

 

 

Kashti was invited to what he believed was a legitimate music workshop at a secluded property in the Brynteg area of Llanybydder. The perpetrators posed as representatives of a reputable music production company and used stolen identities to rent the property and arrange a taxi for their unsuspecting victim. When Kashti arrived on August 26 last year, the men, masked and prepared for violence, launched their assault.

 

 

The attackers also targeted the taxi driver but were forced to abandon their plan when he managed to escape, knowing he would alert the authorities. Police later discovered the three men hiding in nearby fields, leading to their arrest and subsequent guilty pleas to charges of kidnap.

 

 

Judge Catherine Richards, sentencing the trio at Swansea Crown Court, described the crime as "motivated by events taking place elsewhere in the world" and highlighted the extensive planning involved. "None of you knew the victim," she told them. "He was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage." She imposed a 15-year restraining order alongside their prison terms.

 

The judge detailed the sophisticated nature of the crime, revealing that the perpetrators had created false financial documents, used multiple mobile phones, and even developed escape routes. Messages between the attackers showed they had planned to drug Kashti with ketamine and had acquired an imitation firearm. When they attacked him, they handcuffed him to a radiator and threatened his life.

 

The impact on the victim was profound. Recalling the terrifying experience, Kashti compared it to a national tragedy, saying, "As an Israeli, this incident felt like my own personal October the 7th." He described being kicked in the head, restrained, and told he would be killed if he tried to escape. "The awful attack of 7th of October was flashing through my mind as I lay restrained on the floor in handcuffs."

 

Eventually, after his captors fled, he managed to free himself and call his wife, who alerted the police. Authorities later released images showing blood on the cottage floor and the cable ties used to bind him.

 

Prosecutor Craig Jones revealed that messages between the kidnappers referred to Kashti’s perceived political stance and their lack of remorse. Their plot also included plans to launder extorted money through cryptocurrency. Items found in their possession included face masks, gloves, rental cars, a gag, blindfold, handcuffs, and cable ties—evidence of the chilling extent of their intentions.

 

Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust (CST), expressed gratitude to prosecutors and law enforcement, emphasizing the gravity of the crime. "The combination of criminality and anti-Jewish hatred could easily have resulted in a far worse, perhaps even fatal outcome. We will continue to work with the police and all other partners to ensure the safety of our Jewish community and to bring perpetrators of antisemitism to justice."

 

Inspector Gareth Jones of Dyfed-Powys Police acknowledged the traumatic impact on Kashti and his family. "This sentence today reflects the severity of this offence and the ordeal the victim suffered. We hope it gives the victim a sense of justice. We thank him for his strength, bravery, and patience whilst we carried out a thorough investigation into what was an extraordinary crime."

 

Based on a report by BBC |  Telegraphandargus 2025-03-17