EXCLUSIVE
A trader accused of abandoning his wife on a trip abroad shared photos of himself sightseeing around the world and picnicking with his colleagues while she was allegedly stranded without her passport thousands of miles from her home.
Ali Rahimi, 29, allegedly flew from Sydney with his wife, 28, on July 8 last year after tricking her into believing they were going abroad to visit his family.
The couple traveled to Afghanistan, where he is originally from, for a family holiday before heading to Pakistan to see his family.
Rahimi, who allegedly had control of his tickets, passports and other travel documents, allegedly told him that he was returning to Afghanistan to visit his friends.
The woman, whom Daily Mail Australia chose not to name, reportedly learned in September 2023 that he had returned to Australia without her.
She had allegedly been left, helpless, in Pakistan without any identification, in an apparent case of what prosecutors now call “outbound trafficking.”
Photos posted online four days after the couple left Australia show Rahimi enjoying a milkshake with a friend at a restaurant in Herat, northwest Afghanistan.
It was just the beginning of their globe-trotting adventures that included a recent trip to Bali and Istanbul, Türkiye, Facebook photos show.
Ali Rahimi enjoyed a trip to Bali in July this year, after allegedly abandoning his wife in Pakistan without her identification documents.
Days after allegedly leaving his wife behind, Rahimi, 29 (pictured left), is pictured in Afghanistan on July 12 last year.
On 8 July 2023, Rahimi allegedly ‘smuggled’ his wife (pictured) out of Australia by tricking her into leaving the country.
Social media photographs document Rahimi’s adventures in the days following his initial trip to Afghanistan, exploring the countryside with his companions.
Photographs of the group show them dressed in Perahan Tunban, a traditional Afghan male costume consisting of a tunic and trousers, as they pose next to a car next to a rural field in Qalat, in the southeast of the country.
Other photographs taken on the same road trip show Rahimi and his companions standing next to an agricultural field holding grapes, dipping their feet in a river, enjoying a picnic and visiting historical sites in Bamyan, 466 kilometers north of Qalat.
Two weeks later, on August 26, Rahimi shared another photo of himself standing in front of a rock wall as he continued his Middle East sightseeing adventure.
The following week he moved to a new destination, Karbala, in Iraq, where he posted photos of himself marching through the streets alongside thousands of pilgrims as part of a religious event.
Since reportedly returning home without his wife at the end of that month, Rahimi has continued to take trips abroad, including excursions to Bali and Türkiye in July this year.
His wife contacted AFP with his claims in November, prompting an investigation.
Photos posted online in August 2023 show Rahimi on a road trip through Afghanistan with several friends.
The group stopped at a watering hole to dip their feet in a stream.
They also enjoyed a picnic lunch and some drinks that they brought in a thermos.
Rahimi is pictured posing in front of the entrance to the city of Bamiyan, a three-hour drive west of the capital, Kabul.
The AFP worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to help the woman return to Australia safely.
Rahimi was arrested by Australian Federal Police officers last Wednesday, nine months after officers first raided his home in Auburn, western Sydney, where they allegedly confiscated passports, phones and travel documents.
The tiler was charged with one count of trafficking a person out of Australia by deception, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years behind bars.
The arrest came just four years after Rahimi was granted Australian citizenship.
Sharing a photo of himself receiving his certificate in September 2020, he wrote: “Today, I have been given the honor and privilege of being a citizen of the largest country, the most ethnically diverse society in the world, ‘Australia.’ “.
“Yes, I finally made it.”
During Rahimi’s bail hearing at Burwood Local Court on Wednesday, his lawyer Lisa Dao disputed allegations that her client took control of his wife’s travel documents.
Ms Dao said Rahimi’s wife was able to access his documents during the trip.
The court heard that Rahimi intends to fight the charge, as Ms Dao disputed concerns raised by the prosecution that her client is a flight risk.
Ms. Dao told the court that Rahimi traveled abroad on vacation in July, after federal agents approved the trip.
He added that he runs a tile business and has family living in Sydney.
Later in August 2023, Rahimi shared another photo of himself posing at a location in the Middle East.
Rahimi is pictured participating in a pilgrimage in Iraq in September last year.
Rahimi pictured in Türkiye during a vacation in July
Pictured is Rahimi receiving his Australian citizenship in 2020.
Police opposed Rahimi’s bail application, saying the case against him was strong.
However, Rahimi was released on bail on the condition that he not contact his wife or family members.
He must also report to police three times a week and surrender his passport as part of his bail conditions.
He will appear in court again at a later date.
It comes as AFP acting inspector Emmanuel Tsardoulias issued a general statement on outbound trafficking, describing it as a serious crime that often goes unreported.
“Exit trafficking may involve one person using coercion, deception or a threat to arrange or facilitate another person to leave Australia,” Detective Tsardoulias said.
‘No one has the right to force or deceive anyone into leaving Australia, or preventing them from returning against their will.
‘We want victims to know that the AFP is here to help them and that their safety and well-being is our primary concern when we investigate these matters.
“Each case is handled with compassion and great care, and the needs of the victim are always paramount.”
If you suspect that you or someone else is suffering from or is at risk of modern slavery or human trafficking, please call the AFP on 131 237.
Ali Rahimi leaves Burwood court on Wednesday after being granted bail
Rahimi was arrested on Wednesday morning by AFP officers
