Le Roux had ambitions beyond acquiring Zimbabwean land. He mentioned to Ben-Menashe that he was looking to expand his log- ging business. Ben-Menashe, always ready to turn a deal, offered to approach his contacts in the government of Vanuatu, a small island nation in the South Pacific, who could provide Le Roux with permits in the country for rare hardwoods.

Over their several-year business relationship, Ben-Menashe said he felt like he had gotten to know Le Roux, visiting a house Le Roux had purchased in the ritzy Manila gated community of Dasmariñas Village, home to Philippine celebrities and business titans. He re- called Le Roux mentioning several times that he was adopted, and that he'd tried to build a life that would overcome his upbringing.

One incident in particular stuck out in Ben-Menashe's mind: While vacationing in Mexico, Ben-Menashe had once received a call from Le Roux wanting to discuss accelerating the Vanuatu project. "I said, Well, we're in Mexico. He said, I want to come and see you." A few days later, he suddenly showed up. The whole thing, Ben-Menashe said, was "curious. We could have discussed it on the phone."

Ben-Menashe made introductions in Vanuatu, he said, and Le Roux arrived with a crew of Israelis to begin the timber project. "I'm not sure what happened later," Ben-Menashe said. "He spent a lot of money for things that he may or may not have done." That, according to Ari Ben-Menashe, was the last he ever saw of Paul Le Roux. "Suddenly everything went funny," he said, "and then he disappeared."

In early 2009, Moran Oz got a call from Le Roux, demanding that Oz and Berkman return to Manila. He had plans to open up a new call center in the Philippines and wanted them to come take a look at the site, on an island called Cebu. So Oz and Berkman flew to Manila and checked into a hotel in Makati. That evening, Le Roux told Oz that Berkman would stay behind while Oz met with some