Washington, D.C. A wine blogger and travel enthusiast from New Jersey who disappeared during a 2019 trip and hasn’t been seen since has prompted the FBI to seek the public’s help finding him.
Liam Biran initially planned just to visit grandparents in Israel in April 2019. But while he was there his plans changed and he charted a new course for Greece, Italy, and Paris, returning home on May 16, 2019. The aspiring sommelier was last seen in an Italian train station bound for Paris. But he never made it to France or onto his flight home, said Special Agent Joshua Suazo, who is investigating the missing-person case out of FBI Newark’s Red Bank Resident Agency.
Biran’s personal belongings were located in a remote location of the Aosta Valley, but he has not been seen nor heard from since May of 2019. His last known activity was when a credit card he was known to use was used to purchase a train ticket from Turin, Italy, to the Aosta Valley in Italy.
The FBI hopes that someone who crossed paths with Biran during his intercontinental journey may have the information needed to determine his whereabouts.
“At this time, foul play is not suspected in this case. We’re not looking for a suspect,” said Suazo. The agent added that there is no evidence to date that a crime has been committed.
Prior to the trip, Biran lived and worked in New York City and New Orleans. “He really enjoys the finer things in life—so, restaurants, vineyards, all that,” Suazo said. He is an explorer who “is used to traveling alone,” he noted.
Biran is single and has a small circle of friends whom he met through gigs in the restaurant industry and at a fine wine store in New York City, Suazo added. “All his friends share the same interests,” he said. While he may have given off a shy impression, he is known for his intelligence and opens up quickly to discuss his passions for travel and wine.
Biran is also known for being a family person. Agent Suazo said the FBI regularly provides case updates to and checks in with his parents and two siblings.
Biran has brown hair and eyes, weighs approximately 160 pounds, and stands at about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a muscular build. He’ll be 37 years old on January 26, 2024.
His most distinguishing feature is a gap between his front teeth, Suazo said.
“Liam, if you are out there, your family just wants to know you’re OK.”
Joshua Suazo, special agent, FBI Newark
Searching for Liam
The FBI’s been on the case since January 2023, when the Marlboro Police Department in New Jersey sought our help, Suazo said.
Soon after joining the investigation, case agents learned that Biran’s belongings—including camping equipment, clothes, and an electronic device they hope might yield clues—had been discovered in Italy’s Aosta Valley region. FBI case agents hope to leverage any information our Italian partners share to help find Biran.
Meanwhile, Bureau agents have conducted extensive interviews with Biran’s relatives, friends, and former coworkers, Suazo said. And FBI Newark has also coordinated with its international law enforcement partners on a social media advertising campaign about Biran’s disappearance.
“We’ve been reaching out to the public for help because there’s a big time gap between when he went missing from the train station versus them finding his stuff out in the in the Aosta Valley,” Suazo explained. “We want to encounter anyone who might have seen him or spoken to him while he was in transit there.”
The FBI encourages anyone who traveled in Israel, Greece, or Italy in April 2019 and recognizes Biran from their travels to contact FBI Newark by calling 973-792-3000 or to submit a tip by visiting tips.fbi.gov. Overseas tipsters can also reach out to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to submit a tip. The public can share information with the FBI anonymously.
Any recollections from the road—whether a conversation from a hostel or a chance sighting—could potentially help the Bureau find Biran and make sure he’s safe. Suazo believes tips from travel acquaintances can be powerful tools in the search for this missing man. Biran’s family is concerned for his safety.
