By Victor Ozeri
How many times will an investor come to Addis Ababa to help the Ethiopian people only to be cheated out of his investment?
My name is Victor Ozeri. I am a U.S. citizen. In 1982, I traveled to the People’s Republic of China for a visit. I remained in China for a decade. I built many factories and assisted the Chinese people by bringing them a great deal transferable knowledge. I left China after a decade, returned to America to continue developing my company. Over the years, we created tens of thousands of jobs for the Chinese population.
Six years ago, I arrived in Ethiopia with a desire to help the children of this country. I spent my first 3 years working in an organization that put 800 village girls back in school. For the last three years, I have been the sole supporter of an NGO I founded in Addis Ababa. Today we have over 100 children who have gone from poverty to prosperity. These children only knew hunger. Today, they know abundance. The children in my care receive beautiful new clothing, learn computers skills, study English, attend private schools, and have every one of their needs looked after by my organization.
“Safe Horizon and Victor Ozeri
took me to America for heart
surgery and saved my life.”
– Demoze Lema
About eighteen months ago, I had a significant and profound vision for Ethiopia… If someone like me (who knew nothing about China or manufacturing in 1982) could create thousands of jobs in The Peoples Republic of China (and start China on its current path of prosperity) why could we not do this in Ethiopia? My vision of persuading dozens of China factory owners to invest in Ethiopia and bringing the largest American buyers and their experts to Ethiopia is not only possible… It is an idea whose time has come!
Every American company I spoke with were keen to find an alternative to garment sourcing in China. (Especially,if it were part of a grand movement to transform one of the loveliest nations in Africa into a China style powerhouse of apparel manufacturing.) We had lit the spark… And I looked forward to that spark igniting a bonfire of industry and knowledge for the Ethiopian worker.
However Mr. Prime Minister, it was unfortunate that the person I was introduced to as a proper partner for my venture in Ethiopia was Lily Betru. Since the first day I met her, all she has talked about is her strong relationship with the Prime Minister and her close personal friendship with his wife. I was convinced to become her business partner. The rest of this story is a very sad chapter of why Ethiopia remains problematic in spite of all your efforts.
On January 3, 2008 I left my home in America and made a permanent move to Addis Ababa. My commitment to my vision of a prosperous Ethiopia was so strong that I purchased a house in Addis, and was prepared to spend the next decade doing for the people of Ethiopia what we did for the people of China over the last quarter century. I left my family and friends behind committed to making a difference in Ethiopian employment and industry.
“Victor Ozeri and his staff found me
on the street very sick with HIV.
They brought me back to life and
are now educating my children.”
– Fatuma Lemma
When Lily Betru told me of her relationship the Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, I felt she was the proper partner for me. I have watched over the last six years, the city of Addis Ababa opening like a flower. I have seen the glass towers rising side by side with the homes of the tattered poor. Yes, poverty was visible everywhere in Addis 6 years ago and today under your leadership we have seen great progress… If Lily Betru was the prime minister’s friend… that was good enough reason for me to become her partner.
I really thought Lily Betru would be the solution I needed. In reality, Lily was more the problem with Ethiopia than the solution.
I now swear before God that this is what has happened to me since January in my investment in Ethiopia and my involvement with Lily Betru.
In November 2007, Lily Betru claimed to have the $9 million birr needed to fund the company. In mid February 2008, she told me she did not have the funds. (It was only after I imported all of the machinery and began setting up the factory that she informed me of this issue.) She claimed another businessman stole all of her working capital.
So strong was my desire to help the Ethiopian people that I overlooked this problem and actually lent 1 million birr to Lily Betru personally, so she would at least have some money to fund the business and continue her partnership with me.
By February 15, 2008, I had set up a New York sales office, brought in the machinery to Addis Ababa, flew in the Chinese experts, located the customers, and imported over 3 million birr in raw materials (at my personal expense) to start our venture.
By mid March 2008, the children of my street shelter were reporting that “Aunt Lily” had been giving them money and asking them to spread lies about me and the other American advisers at the factory. I raised these children well and they immediately reported this to their teachers who in turn told me about this serious breach of character by Lily Betru (who is a mother of 6 children herself).
By end of April 2008, I had come to realize that this Lily Betru was not a good person at all. My partner was turning out to be another wealthy and well connected Ethiopian who thinks that due to her political connections she is above the law.
The expert American accounting management team that I brought from the United States had already informed me that Lily had withheld all the bank statements from them, and had no idea what was happening with my investment. They told me of her abuse of the workers.
I would budget a 200 birr training salary for new sewing workers only to find out that later on Lily Betru insisted (without my knowledge) that these poor people work for free during the training period. (I came to Ethiopia to change these people’s lives, not to abuse them!)
In the factory building Lily owns, our workers lived without toilets for over a month until I became furious with her and she finally installed some running water. (Her reply to me was “They don’t have toilets at home. Why do they need toilets in the factory?”)
When my American staff became suspicious of Lily’s dealings, she insisted that they be fired and leave the country. Lily was attempting to get a 75% reimbursement from the World Bank for the salaries of the foreign experts I had brought in. After Lily fired these experts, I asked her to modify the application to the World Bank, but she insisted we should still claim this money as though they were still working. Now I knew I had a partner perfectly willing to steal public funds. These two consummate experts with a combined 20 years of knowledge in the industry (and badly needed to teach Ethiopian workers how to carry on in the modern world) were fired the next day by Lily. What had I gotten myself into?
If I were not concerned enough at that point… Lily then asked me about the possibility of hiding some of our profits in Hong Kong in order for her to save on Taxation in Ethiopia. Did I come to this country to help a citizen cheat the very same government I was trying so sincerely to help?
On Friday, May 2, I sat down with Lily Betru and told her that I knew of her financial misdeeds, her lack of the required investment money, and her considerable abuse of our workers. I calmly told her I was willing to buy her out and continue my project without her. Within 5 minutes of the conversation, Lily announced that we were no longer partners and ended the conversation.
The next day, her husband, Dr. Getachew (who calls himself the newly appointed “Minister of Railroads”) called me on the telephone and told me “Serious charges have been laid against me.” I told him I did not know what he was talking about, that his wife was in breech of our legal agreement, and I did not wish to discuss this with him. He became very angry and made further threats to me. (Prior to this, Dr. Getachew had nothing to do with my investment.)
On the public holiday of May 5, Dr. Getachew called again insisting that I meet him in his office. He said if I did not meet him by 4 PM, I would be picked up by the police. This conversation was frightening to me. The man sounded irrational. I immediately called the U.S. consulate for advice and guidance.
“I lived in a plastic house
but with the help of Victor
Ozeri and Safe Horizon, I have
a full scholarship to Jijiga
University where I study
economics” – Maruliz Kiflom
After telling my story, I was patched through to the head of security for all American citizens in Ethiopia. I was advised to take this threat very seriously. I was told that if Dr. Getachew and Lily Betru are close friends with the Prime Minister, they could have the power to have me arrested without charges. (I was advised by the U.S. Embassy to leave Addis Ababa immediately). Three hours later I was on a plane back to New York with my remaining American advisor. I left behind my Chinese staff to hopefully run the factory in my absence.
During the few days I spent in America, Dr. Getachew telephoned me to say that he had certain documents he was emailing me. He said I should look at them before I accuse his wife of breaking our agreement. The “document” arrived. Much to my shock it contained personal photos that had somehow been stolen from my computer (presumably by Lily Betru’s son, Michael Asfaw who was our factory’s IT expert). They were intending to use these photos in a pathetic attempt to blackmail me, and accuse me of inappropriate behavior with the young children I have clothed, educated, fed, and loved these many years.
I have no problem repeating these disgusting and baseless accusations about my personal reputation. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have the witnesses of 100 children and 200 parents that are eternally grateful for what I have done for them in improving their lives and easing the suffering of their once hungry children that had to beg in order to eat!
What kind of a family would stoop to sabotage a feeding program for children in order to cover up their commercial crimes? Ms. Betru even attempted to go to our company driver (who has known and respected me for five years). She requested that in exchange for a large sum of money, he should bear false witness and said that he saw me having sex with my 15 year old son Lawgaw whom I’ve been caring for the last 5 years. The driver is a kind man and a good Ethiopian. He told Lily he would never do such a thing. She fired him as the company driver the next day.
I remained in America for a couple of weeks much more upset that Lily Betru, her husband and son were now disturbing the children I treat as my very own. Finally, due to this threat to all of my “habesha” children, I felt compelled to come back to Addis Ababa. Additionally, I had secured a donation of 12,000,000.00 (twelve million) birr from an American apparel company to build an educational center for street children. I had an obligation to purchase land in Arat Kilo and begin this building project. Now due to Lily making it unsafe for me to return, we question whether this facility will ever be built.
The new children’s palace
Safe Horizon aims to build
with the help of Victor Ozeri.
I arrived back in Addis on Monday morning, May 12. At about noon, I attempted to enter the factory that I legally own and hopefully talk some sense into my so-called partner. What I found upon my arrival was that Lily Betru and her family locked me out of the factory I built on behalf of our partnership.
I am 55 years old and I was attacked by Lily’s 28 year old son Michael Asfaw. I tried to enter my own factory and this misguided young man, at the request of his mother, assaulted me and prevented me from entering my own factory.
Lily has stolen all of the machinery, and 2 million birr in capital that I had put into the company. She stole 3 million birr in raw materials that I sent to Ethiopia to train 900 workers. She locked my personal office in our factory, stole all of personal documents including the deed for my home in Addis Ababa, the partnership agreement we signed, and the loan agreement Lily signed for me to loan her $1 million birr. She has even stolen the cherished photos of my deceased parents and refuses to return them.
That afternoon I went to the Lafto police station to seek help to re-enter my factory, I was greeted by Chief Inspector Ashagre of the Lafto Police Department. He heard my story and asked me to wait. This chief inspector ran and called Lily and within 20 minutes, Lily Betru, her son Michael Asfaw, and her husband Dr. Getachew appeared at the police station and were screaming all at once in Amharic at the Chief Inspector. In the next instant, this Chief Inspector accuses me of being a pedophile and says that I have engaged in sex with the children of my NGO. Before I know it, he is attempting to put me in a jail cell until he investigates.
The Chief Inspector never met me, knew nothing of my NGO, has made no investigation but still attempts to throw a loyal friend of Ethiopia in jail as a common criminal. I am a law abiding man that has never had a single problem with the police in my life. At the thought of spending time in an Ethiopian jail, I became physically ill.
Chief Inspector Ashagre agreed to let me go to a hospital if the two Ethiopian men that accompanied me to the police station would give up their ID cards as a guarantee that I would return the following day. At the firm advice of the head of security of the U.S. Embassy, I did not return to the police station but fled Ethiopia, but mostly out of fear for my personal safety and liberty.
It has now been 6 weeks since I last departed the country I have come to love. It has been 6 weeks since I have been able to visit the hundred children that depend on me for all of their childhood need. The factory has been stolen, my money has been stolen, and I have no idea what to do next.
Industry Minister Girma Biru is a fine man who met with me at least 6 times in the last few months. He believed that my vision was the answer that light industry in Ethiopia has been seeking for a long time. His support of this venture was profound, intelligent and generous. Now all of his efforts have been for nothing because of the actions of Lily Betru’s criminal family.
How incredibly sad that after so many years of dedicating my life and personal funds to helping your country that I can no longer feel safe to come back and carry my good work.
What a profound disappointment… if this ends up as my reward for dedicating my life and personal funds to help this country. I have spent 80 thousand birr every month for the last 2 years to fund and save over a hundred children from a life of illiteracy and poverty.
I stuck my neck and persuaded people from 4 countries to come and help Ethiopia and give people knowledge of the international market. I was poised to bring the biggest names in American and European retailing to fill the vastly under utilized factories of Ethiopia.
Our marketing expert for apparel in the United States was talking to every major U.S. retailer to make their apparel in Ethiopia. We were very close to bringing thousands of jobs and million in exports to Ethiopia over the next 3 years, I did this not for profit… But to change the face of a beautiful nation that deserves prosperity among its people. Because of Lily Betru, that dream, is now dead.
I beg the Ethiopian government to look into this matter properly and bring these people to justice. I can no longer return to my home or business or children’s welfare center in Addis Ababa. Lily keeps calling me in the U.S. warning me that “If you come back, no one will protect you!” She says she is the personal friend of the Prime Minister and no one will dare to interfere with her.
I still believe that Ethiopia is a great country with all the potential needed for it to become the next superpower of manufacturing for U.S. corporations. I am a man with a proven track record of a quarter century in China… creating jobs, knowledge, and prosperity for the Chinese people. I know dozens of large companies will to give Ethiopia a try. I know the top experts in light industry that could bring mountains of transferable knowledge to Ethiopia.
Please do not let the criminal element of Lily Betru’s family destroy this possibility.
Victor Ozeri
Founder; Victor and Lily Bag and Apparel Makers PLC
safehouseethiopia.org
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Condensed and revised from the original version, which was a letter to dictator Meles Zenawi)
54 thoughts on “I’m cheated out of my investment in Ethiopia – Victor Ozeri”
Let almighty God punish this criminal families like lily and getachew. They are killing the hope of many ethiopians to full fill their bloody belly. Concerned ethiopians, and true ethiopians must liquidate this criminal lily and her entire families to save the hopes of many ethiopians. We know for sure criminal melese will not take action against these criminals , because crime is the foundation of his represseive regime. I hope ethiopians will follow her and punish her. She doesn;t have ant personal relationship with melese’s crime families. what A shame.
To Yikerbelen:
First, stop mentioning God’s name in every conversation. You will come off as ignorant and blasphemous.
Second, stop condemning this or that person without hearing both sides. If there is anything that is obvious and can be condemned it is the TPLF mafia system which produces “irrational, sadistic and corrupt” people like Lily Betru.
I believe that the whole story is true. How many times did we hear Ethiopians who moved to their country coming back after six months? How many times did we hear that the Mafia group robs business people in Ethiopia after they brought items from outside? How many times did we hear that the mafia family obliging citizens to invest with them without contributing a penny? How many Woynes and their families got rich using the state machineries in the last 17 years?
Ladies and Gentlemen;
For how long do we have to tolerate the Woyane mafias? We need to rise and eliminate these parasites. Otherwise, we will continue to be beggars
The fact that the person hoped to work with thugs who are terrorizing the entire nation was stupid.
The bottom line, Americans have to learn and stop supporting dictators.
I’m sorry for all of your losses by the crime families; however, you should have learned from the nearly 100,000 Eri-Ethiopians that were robbed infront of your beloved country representatives in Addis, all Ethiopians that are been robbed in bright day light infront your country representatives; and all the innocent Ethiopian children that are been abdacted and robbed by the immoral hollywood actors/actresses in Addis and environs. If you have the means please tell the state department that Ethiopia’s demise had been in a making since 1991 or just wait until your interest is up again!
I can not believe this happens in Ethiopia. I thought we ethiopians are God fearing people. Lil and family , how on earth do you do this to person who is trying to invest in your and my country?. If he was having any issue with the legal system , you should have cooperate with the system to bring him to justice.
Greedy People like you and your family are the problem of our country. we can not move our country to the next level of civilization if the rich people like you are creating problem to the investors.
What are the future investors of ethiopia going to learn from this story ? I will leave the answer to Lily and her Families.
God Bless Ethiopia!!!
This is what is happening in Ethiopia in the past 17 years under melese-sibehat mafia criminal group. They did similar things to millions of Ethiopians, in fact with the support of western governments and their deplomats in Addis.
I am sure Lily would have a different story. This guy might have something to hide. What was in those pictures? Pictures don’t lie. But it is sad these people use the mainstream media to score private dispute. It sets precedent to potential investors in Ethiopia.
And of course ppl like Lily are rent seekers who tarnish the image of Ethiopia
Dear Victor Ozeri,
I feel sad about what happened to you. Unfortunately, the likes of your story are not unusual things in the present Ethiopia of Meles Zenawi’s bandit-like government. There are tens and tens of good people who lost their capitals and good works in the last 15 or so years. The main problem is not one or two criminal individuals, but the system at large.
This is what I want to say to you: If your story true to your account and if in deed the accusation of child abuse are baseless as you said, then please, join your forces with the many good Ethiopians and US citizens both in Ethiopian and here in the US, people like you who have been cheated out, and above all with the democratic forces who are trying day and night abolish this corrupted system and set that country the right direction. Forget Melse or his corrupted police and judicial system. The only solution is the change the system.
Good luck.
That is true,I know another story like this.You know who have been doing this Ethiopian government oh no sory woyane.let us free ethiopia.
Dear Mr. Ozeri,
While I appreciate your desire to help poor Ethiopians, I just want to know why you did think doing business with “a friend of the prime minister” was the right thing to do? Do you think someone needs to have a partner who has political connection to do business in Ethiopia? If so why? Do you need to have a person who knows(friend) American president to do business in America? If not, why do we need to have different standard?
I appreciate if you answer my questions.
Thank you very much.
As I see it, it is good to help Ethiopia as you said. There are issues that are difficult to comprehend, for example, WHY THE USA EMBASSY is advising you to leave the country instead of protecting you and your money. One of the reasons they are there is this. You, why you did not seek an attorney locally or else, did not you have an attorney.
As there are good and people otherwise, we expect you to tell us the end of the story at the end. We wish you good luck. There are maybe 1000’s of cases like this, maybe different in size. From USA to China to Ethiopia to USA good trip. Both countries are well known, for their human rights abuse of their own.
We wait for the end story to understand you better.
…innocent until proven guilty.
I think this case deserves a Congressional hearing.
Mr. Ozeri is so nice and angel-like that he let these things go on for too long without bringing it to the attention of the Ethiopian Embassy in Ethipia.
Mr. Ozeri, the brutal case that you described is not an Ethiopian at all.
Mr. Ozeri, please be patient; I am 100% sure that you will be able to go back to Ethiopia and continue your good works that you started there. Let us all be patient for a few more months since good things are going to happen in Ethiopia with the help of the United States.
Here is what Ozeri said about Ethiopia on January 2008:
“I have come here because I see so much potential in Ethiopia. The last five years I’m here I see so much potential in Ethiopia. I believe Ethiopia can be the next China. I’m sure of it…..I look at what Prime Minister Meles (of Ethiopia) is doing here. Ato (Mr.) Melese is building roads, he is building bridges. I come every six month and I look from (the) balcony of my hotel and I see a sky line getting born. He knows what he is doing. And I certainly realize that what’s happening in Ethiopia now is what has happened in Chiona 25 years ago. It (the Ethiopian economy) is about to explod. The Ethiopian people may not see it and if I were not in China 25 years ago I couldn’t notice it.”
Here is the full article
dero yelelou mafia stile leboch endeh endebezu alawkem neber
This is not only a crime inflicted on an individual. If this all true and exactly as Mr. Ozeri is telling us, the case is an international incidence. Somebody better frog her ass and make her talk and cough up every thing she does not own or belong to her. This in only fraud it is kidnapping and extortion. I have spent most of working life since 1983 doing business in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and lately in Vietnam. I never encounter such violent rip-offs. Yes I was scammed but I had managed to recover most of it. Scam is rampant in almost every country in Africa. Even joint venture with a government is very very risky. I thought things will get better by the 90’s with the return of western educated compatriots but it is even getting worse, sophisticated and violent. I don’t see any end to this scam. With the increase in population, it will get worse and worse to a point that Africa will be a stadium of blood-letting where competing scammers will duke it out for ‘hostile’ take-overs. Mark my word for it. It will not be wars triggered by border disputes but fought for the rights to scam.
I don’t think niether Lili nor the American is willing to help poor ethiopians at all. They are fighting for money and greed. Ethiopia has been “helped” for many years but still remain poor living in the foreign hand outs now almost for 50-years. This is because the white hynas in colaboration with some ignorant Ethiopians have been sucking the countries pockets. It is the nature of the so called charities, NGO, Investors , and other organizations to scuk the resource of poor African nations in the name of experts and so on. Ethiopian coffee, and other lucrative fertile lands are under the abuse of few foreign copanies to satisfy their greedy needs. But it is sad that no single Ethiopian is yet to see this as big threat to their nation. This is the time for most Ethiopians to see beyond the white color of the foreign hynas and be the masters of themselves and their nation.
A couple of issues here.
First, characters like Lily Betru are abundent in present day Ethiopia. These people are so bold they would put the country on the selling block and not flinch. Now that doesn’t mean that Lily Betru is guilty coz we haven’t heard her side of the story.
Second, your story begs one crucial question? what is up with the public private melange. Are you there to help the poor or to make profits ? why are you telling both stories at the same time ? Finally are you telling me that a single woman can rob you and all you did was leave the country and the 100 kids you were helping. Something isn’t right !
I leave diging deep to the truth for real journalits, but this is what the 70+ millions Ethiopians deals with on daily basis. Atleast this fellow, whether is nice to Ethiopia as claims or not, has his own country to fly to when such things happen. Think about our country men and women, who have no place to go but pay in thier life, body or fortune. THINK ABOUT IT. May be the Americans and the Int’l community start to realize how eveil the administration we are dealing with when they hear it from their own man like Mr Ozeri.
Mr victor is going to loss any sympathy when he try to kiss up to Melse the grand problem himself along his wife and hundreds of mafias around him. If that is not the case he would have solved his problem in Ethiopia, in court and continue to do his business like he should.
When it is good to be true it is almost always a scum. This women, her bully husband and son are the same mafias who relay on the the ruleing party protection to do their dirty job.Iin all the time Mr. victor stayed in Ethiopia with the corruption of the government, the killing and jailing of the innocent, the audacity of his partner to fire and threaten of the worker at will should have told him it is not a place to do business, Instead of begging Melse for a special treatment because he is a foreigner, he should join the rest of Ethiopians to condom the Mafia business the government and its cronies are doing on the expenses of millions. Also China is should not be a role model for any one as mr. victor put it and building a sky line is not a sign of progress if Lilyan kind of mafias are building it on someone money.
Melse may help you recover your money but there are millions who lost their money because of Melse himself. Get your priority straight Mr. there are people who can not go any where who are paying dearly, like your workers you left behind
wow what a sad story. We know this is only one side of the story. I am sure this kind of stuff happens.Personally I think that Mr. Victor Ozeri should find a way to find out if lily did really have a connection and find a way to let the p.m know what happened. You never know lily could be a good actor saying she knows the p.m . I don’t think you should give up Mr.Victor. Keep pushing all you got to make sure Lily get what she deserve. If you truly try and am sure You are God will help You all the way. One person should not block you vision.
Hard to belive;
This story has a lot of holes, how come a man of his experiance who has built many factories, lived in Chaina for a decade, created tens of thousands of jobs be cheated by a local women just like that?
Why do you need 9 million birr from her? what ever happened to the expert American accounting manegment team, they don’t know about the international investment rule? Any way this letter is addressed to the prime minister and the rest of us should not help this letter degrade our people by commenting with it before the real story is out.
It reads like a third rate fiction.
I believe Mr Ozeri went with ulterior motive to take advantage of the poor and the helpless by networking with high powered people in government. He got away with his scam in China but taken advantage by another con-artist like himself. I know two wrongs do not make right. We need to hear both sides of the story. It takes two to tango.
Dear Mr Victor Ozeri,
I was deeply disappointed at the misfortune that heppened to you. I can’t believe that you ended up with so evil people who do not sound to be Ethiopian at all. If I were you, I would soon legally wind up this partnership with these demons and start with other genuine enterpreneurs. Believe me, Ethiopia is rich with trustworthy and inspiring people who can not be compared with these devils you came accdross. Something that is not clear for me, though, is why you hastily started partnership with people whom you are not even sure that they have the necessary investment capital. Besides, I found it kind of weird that these evil partners of yours were ABLE TO blackmail you with pictures, and you ran away from it! If I were you, I would go to the end to prove my innocence and get back my proerpty instead of getting scared and leaving the country.
B.Tufa:
For security and comfort of mind. What else? After all
is a third world.
Hailu:
Any issue of misbehaviour or fraud is a legal issue. That should be addressed by the system but not by blackmailing. Even the case of misbehaviour is true it has to be legally settled and the joint venture dissolved as per the rule. What a fit of encouragement to cheat by blackmailing?
Guest:
You are right the rule of law should come first before personal judgment. Stealing and fraudulent action using blackmail is an unethical and more abhorrent and by extension it is collaboration with the crime rather than fighting. Blackmailer is a criminal who have no mercy and be judged severely.
Victor:
One thing you have to know that Ethiopia has so many visionaries from it’s citizen who are talented and capable to transform the country. You know the answer why the country is dragging behind even in agriculture.
To make recored straight,after the last year ethiopian census were done,The countrys population is 81.2 million.War zones,ogaden,some oromia zone anothers are not included.please remember that it’s 81.2 million.not 70 million which was 17years ago.
How hell on earth the American Embassy in Addis can’t protect it’s own citizen?How can’t protect american investor group in ethiopia?Does the embassy is bias on its own citizen on abroad?I cannot beleive it.America failed to protect its investors in ethiopia.
Victor ozeri’s story is true to me in many ways.Thugs like Lily Betru her family can do anything to own the properties.This is the type of people who owend the country.Didn’t you hear last couple days ago they sold half of bale fertile land to the djibouti thugs called president and his family.
To Yikerbelen 2, what kind of prove do you want to have from mr Victor? Ethiopians who have been benefiting from mr mr Victor.s organization have given their wittness and he has posted their photos even. Lily and her criminal family are cheating the friend of ethiopia and ethiopians. Did lily can posted one single ethiopia’s photo which she has helped ? Lily and her criminal family are very well corrupted that is why they have tried to associated them selves with melese’s criminal’s family.
To those of who you who say: it takes two, we didn’t hear her side of story,,,etc. Wake up guys! By now, she is carefully crafting and searching a scum story to cover up her evil scandel she committed and off course with the assistance of the Notorious Thief and Murderer Meles gang.
I bet they couldn’t find one yet, that is why they didn’t respond yet. You wait and see, when they invent up a cover up story, they will let you know.
I believe the story of Mr. Victor I know similar theft happened to our friend from Holland went to establish a flower farm let almighty God punish these criminal families like lily betru
Sorry to see that you screwed up like this. The problem started when you picked her for her connection to the PM instead of her talent or potential to succeed in your venture.
The only option left for you is to go to US court and let the law take it is course.
good luck.
This is a crime which happens to most of foreign investers and I am really sorry for this that the government keep ignoring this stupid crimes which makes our country poorer and poorer
Mr. Ozeri seems a nice man but has some kind of a crook person. Mrs. Lili is a rober and inhuman. He is punished and Mrs. Lili has to be investigated and punished by the government. I pitty the students who lost their supporter.
Why dis Mr Ozeri chose to help only girls. Is there a nation build by females alone? Why Lili makes disgracing remarks about toilets? Is she a Ethiopian? For that matter is she a black woman? I hate her for that. I prefer to be watchfull On Mr. Ozeri as well.
There is a revelation that there is a day light roberi in Ethiopia on economic activities. Some people are becoming wealthy at the expense of many. People are getting poorer by the day and it is alarming.
To your surprise there are a lot of LILYS around the curent Ethiopian buisness enviornment they aproach the oficials like Girma Biru sort of entice them tell them about export market etc and then after they get the uper hand they turn devlish SHE-dictators .. Now what Isuggest The news paper” Reporter” of Addis Ababa you have historical obligation to probe these specific LILY S SCAM deeds and the other LILYS.TOO..follow it to the last and assure justice is done soon ..Also CAPITAL and “Addis Fortune”apart from giving us very flowery statistic figures of the economy you should do investigative reports of these and these type and the other too…
Mr. Victor Ozeri
I just read an article to what happened to you in Ethiopia.
I am writing this letter from experience of the Ethiopian government crime of the century. To what happened to us, Eritreans went to a deaf ear. Like you, we were robbed in day light. Our money, homes, and business taken by the same people you are complaining. Herded like a cattle in a bus and dumped at the boarder. Our crime, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Melles zenawie did not liked the color of our eyes. No body condemned to what happened to us Eritrean. The united nation even blamed us for our complaint. I am very happy for you and your family you left Ethiopia safely, you could had been killed and dumped nobody will know where your about…but your kindness and a true believer of, help people to help themselves your were saved by the almighty God.
As an Eritrean American, first generation I am ashamed of being a neighbor of Ethiopia not alone being Ethiopian. You believed in what you wanted Ethiopia to be better, thriving and all children out of the street and live in the home. Not begging but learning, not starving but eating.
“Do not judge the play before the play is done. Her plot has many changes, every day speaks.” William Shakespeare
Stand by your plan, what ever you where planning for the poor Ethiopians will pay off one day. If you believed in what you were doing, you will be asked to stand behind it fully.
Again, in the behalf of the victimized Eritreans whom the melles zenawie and cohorts dehumanized us I am so sorry and may God bless you with more power to help the poor and destitute of the world.
Gennet yohannes
If the story is true, I am sorry. However, Meles is very careful not to mess with foreigners because he can loot money that comes for the poor people and also for diplomatic reason. If Victor knows Girma Birru, why did he not attempt to tell him all the story and set up appointment with Meles to tell him the story? Why did he not search for immunity from American Embassy until proven guilty?
As an Ethiopian i am sorry,but do not forget that we ethiopians have been stolen our port and great land been given by meles to Sudan even with out the knowlege of the so called ethiopian Parlament.He is not an ethiopian he is the leader of the most ethnocentric,narrow minded,mafia and terorist organization called T:P:L:F they are stilling from the rest of Ethiopia and it dosenot surrprised me for what has happend to you.If you want to do that kind of job with out poblem go to Tigray.Thats the only place in Ethiopia you are safe and get what ever kinds of official support you will get .But remember thats where evrey stollen things from the rest of ethiopia gose and i am sure you knew that if you were in ethiopia.(my family are suffering to keep our home from the bank of ethiopia.we have never take money but some body used our home as a garranty with out the knowleg of us but the governement is forcing them because there is no justice n Ethiopia)You can go to your country but we will contiue to suffer until these murrderer been overthrow.
Watch out when you are investing in Ethiopia. It is very hard becuase there is NO rule of law in our country.
The country is full of mafios and Meles gangsters.
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when you said you wanted to invest in ethiopia and in the meantime you wanted to help in improving the life of individuals in this impoverrished nation, you should know at least to work with ETHIOPIANS not WITH ERITREANS who kept on steeling our resource throught their lifes, memebers the current regime in ethiopia they all are parasite ERITRIANS coverd with fals ethiopian glory.
your solution ask ethiopians to chase this HORE and deal with her
Ewnetu
When Mr. Ozeri started his investment in January 2008, you were one of those whom you praised your government and the business coming to Ethiopia. For every fart, hiccough your country self-destroying should not be blamed by we, the Eritreans. The Eritreans packed like sardine, and dumped at the boarder, by your own government. Are you implying that the eritrean government was responsible? I am not sure to what you are blaming Eritrea; we were victimized just like Ozeri… Mr. Ozeri was well aware where he signed at the dotted line. All this was arranged by the Ethiopian government, the state department, World Bank all orchestrated to help Ethiopia not Eritrea. I wish he invested in Eritrea this entire headache could have been avoided.
For once in your lifetime, take responsibility, by living in denial and false ego you would not reach anywhere at all just at the dead end life style. Admit where the problem coming from, just a person like you that hide the truth. The issue is not your embarrassments but all those Ethiopian who will lose income from generated business. Not your ego, but the orphans that are depending from this kind man help for survival.
Again we should not even give you a time and space for your stupidity but we all should work as African and help this man to get his investment back.
Do you have the courage to swim naked even when others are wearing their suits? I am not referring to being physically naked, spiritually naked- to be who you are, admit your government betrayed Ozeri. You need to act and help him to continue his kind work rather than social accommodation…
Again Mr. Ozeri do not give up on your good well, who and what you are is enough for all unfortunate Ethiopian…
Gennet
I think Victor Ozeri’s story is true !!!
There are full of cheaters in the country !!!
There are full of corruption in Ethiopia !!!
Don’t invest in Ethiopia during Meles regime !!!
Becareful investing in Ethiopia !!!
God Bless you Mr. Victor Ozeri !!!
Thank you for performing outstanding job in Ethiopia !!!
Ethiopians are with you and respecting you for what you did for street children !!!
Please, please and please, the ethiopian government people, you are already millioners and billioners, you are stealing so much money that comes as aid for Ethiopia, at least it is very shameful that you are now bribing the generous person who is enthusiastic to help homeless children. He is not taking money just helping the ethiopian people for God’s sake. I am really disappointed by the fact that everyone who knows Meles and his wife and so and so….is a dictator and can do anything to anyone. You are so dumb, empty minded people that have nothing of human nature.
I have known Victor Ozeri for many years. He is a successful businessman who is very concerned about humanity. This has always been part of his motivation. He has used his influence and personal achievements to benefit the under priveledged and needy, in many situations.
Before even considering a business in Ethiopia, Mr. Ozeri was involved and made a personal commitment to helping the citizens of Ethiopia who were living in poverty.
From the time that Mr. Ozeri first started discussing the development of a manufacturing plant in Ethiopia, his thoughts were always of how many jobs that he could create and how many families that he could help. It had always impressed me how his conversation was of this benefit and not of profit.
I know that Mr. Ozeri will recover from his financial loss, unfortunatly I beleive that his dream of impacting the economics of Ethiopia and the quality of life for its citizens may not be fulfilled.
Horrifying story! The government is claiming that it is improving the business climate of the nation. I think such stories shows that a lot needs to be done. I am sorry to hear such stories, espeically from potential investor in our nation. I am sure your company would have made been one part of a change angent in the current economy of the country. I hope there is a law in the country. I hope the US embassy assists you in defending your case and getting at least your money back. I am sorry that you got to go all this trouble. I don’t think our nation would go a step forward with ministrial connections, and getting closer to PM. may be things go faster but not robbing. Good LUck, keep us informed!
I could not believe my eyes as I read this story…I am a former employee of Mr.Ozeri(in NYC) and could not believe the accusations against him and the horrible treatment of him in Ethopia…Having known and worked closely with Mr.Ozeri I know for a fact that this must be a very terrible situation for him as he loved helping others and took great pride in the programs he supported and great ideas he had to help others…he has been a godsend to many many people in the USA and abroad..including myself…My heart goes out to him as I can only imagine how he feels…and again knowing firsthand what his giving meant to him…I am truly sorry..and hope’s that he gets the justice he so rightfully deserves…
Wow….I don’t judge until i hear both sides of a story. But Mr Ozeri side is very compelling and believable. Their are so many of us that want to help Africa and are discouraged after hearing about such stories. I have been working on a business plan to start a high performance academic k-12 school for Ethiopia. Half my Ethiopian friends say i will never find investors because Ethiopia is starting to get a bad reputation for foreigners willing/trying to invest in the infrastructure. Who do you trust? So sad….i hope Mr Ozeri doesn’t give up. Just figure out a work around. Africa needs people like him as long as he isn’t exploiting children he should be allowed some type of legal recourse. I wish him luck and please don’t give up on Africa.
This story sounds possible but there are a few questions that make it impossible to believe. For a guy who is well connected and with years of investment experience, to believe that he limited himself to only one police station in the face of such a blagarant crime is hard to believe. If he indeed has nothing to fear and if he is the legal owner of the business, then why is he not hiring a lawyer to fight it? Local or international lawyers would do just fine as long as he has his legal documents. If he knows the Trade Minister like he says he does, why doesn’t he give him a phone call and explain his situation??? For a millionare like him, which you would expect to be very well connected, why would he even go to a regular police when he can call one of his connections in high places? A man of his position would certainly have many firends in power, specially if he has been working with the so called “lily”. In the first place, it sounds pretty shady that he entered Ethiopia to bering about good change but ended up looking for a partner who has “good connection with the PM and that was good enough reason for me”! What kind of an invester gets into partnership with a woman whom he has no knowledge of and does not do any skill assessment? A millionare like him, would certainly approach one of the many floursihing business men and women in the country, who already have a repectable company in the country. What about contacting the investment authority which has shown dramatic improvement since its early days, or the anti-corruption commission? There are so many unexplored avenues that this article can be taken very well for a tabloid. Even if we were to assume that he is in the US and scared for his life, what is stoping him from contacting the Ethiopian Embassy in DC and trying to reach the authorities through that? And last but not least, if he is a legal American Investor, do you really think the US Embassy would just let him be locked out of his own company and factory that he is legally entitled to?
On a more legal note, no investor would start buying machinery before a legal liscense is issued, no one can import before an import lisence is issued, or even better before the factory building itself is built! You have to start by buying the plot of land first, which would take quite some time in itself! Before you can get an import liscence, you need to show proof of your business license, and open a Letter of Credit (LC) from the bank to be able to buy in foreign currency. But in his early paragraphs, he started importing the equipment before his partnership with Lily was solidified. Any legal partnership requires both parties to demonostrate a capital deposite. Any deposted money (by Lily) can’t be “stolen”, since deposits for business capitals are legally prevented against withdrawal (time deposite) until a cetain time. You don’t keep 9mil in a wallet, it would have to stay in a bank. If she does not have the money, she no longer has the business liscence. The writer makes it sounds like a child game. If you are going to write a fiction, please just check the facts first! You are wasting everybody’s time in trying to attract people towards your political game. There are proper channels for the Mr. Victor to air his complaints and putting posting them on websites inaccessible to the Ethiopian reader (many of these sites are blocked in Etiho) is certainly not one of them.
Get a life, stop insulting our intelligence!
S.
P.s. I firmly believe the write is not Victor Ozeri. If he is, I dare him to post his contact numbers and e-mail. I will personally call him to confirm his identity and if he happens to be a true victim, I will find a way to help him and get his justice.
To respond the anonymous
I was so curious to see what happened to the case of Victor Ozeri and the Ethiopian investment. God behold I saw this anonymous writer denying that the issue exist. In one paragraph, he insinuated somebody else impersonated Ozeri. Wow, this is amazing, just a couple of days ago I met a person whom he came to
Offer his condolence to my beloved family departed from this world. In surprising and believable way, he gave us all the scenario almost denying that nobody was forced and deported to Eritrea. Rewriting history to his own way, he was comfortable in is own lies. We all jumped and responded to his surprise wound is fresh. Now again this anonymous writer is trying to rewrite history to make believe scenario that nothing happened. Unless we all need to challenge if Mr. Ozeri was paid back his investment and signed not to discuss the issue any more, looks that way to me! Actually if that happened, still the issue legally exculpatory clause, the Ethiopian cohorts agree to return said item in the same condition, to indemnify and hold Ozeri free and harmless from all injuries to damage property, loss of time, occasioned by negligence of the contract.
Therefore, does it mean nothing happened the issue never exists? No sorry, we call this writing as damage control.
Mr. Ozeri you owe us all explanation or what happened to your case…
Second to anonymous
So sad to hear this if this is a true story. What is with Meles and his gangsters? Shame on you Meles Zenawi, Lily Betru and Dr. Getachew (r u really a Dr.? I highly doubt it) and family especially the young son, Michael Asfaw. What’s wrong with you young man? For somebody who is willing to invest to help the poor, what you did was a disgrace. Shame on you! Mr. Victor Ozeri you need to let us know the final version of the story. Thanks to Meles Ethiopia is going backward instead of forward. I pray everyday for a change in Ethiopia.
ethiopian replies:
April 2nd, 2012 at 12:09 PM
I find it funny how you simply read a story with no concrete proof and begin to make serious accusations. How long did you spend on this case. 5 minutes? learn your facts first, do your research and you will understand what type of person Mr. Victor Ozeri is. Why he really set up the NGO, and what really was going on there and ultimately why he wrote this story of lies.
thanks
This story is unfortunate for the country.
It sounds unprofessional and fishy. It’s like a backbiting tale tale between people.
Here are simple rules:
1. don’t mix business and relations. You should try to do business the straight way and not rely on friendship. In this case you seek favours yourself. Why did you try to bond with Lily Betru and Dr. Getachew the person who are in the close circle of the wife of the prime-minister. First of all how do you know it true, secondly it indicates you tried to benefit out of this situation yourself.
2. don’t mix business and NGO activity directly. It sounds that your NGO action is a cover. If/when you invest it creates jobs and empower people so investing is a charity on itself so you didn’t need to mix-up together.
3. As an American, you should know the government is not the president’s wife so you should have kept your distance from mingling all that.
However, it’s a pity what happened to you.
For the conclusion it would be fruitful if you could provide your recommendations on what to do/not to do for a successful investment in Ethiopia