Israeli Court Rules Against Elderly Woman in "Russian Scam" Property Case

An Israeli court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by an elderly woman attempting to void the sale of her apartment, ruling in favor of the buyers. The woman had sold her apartment for 700,000 shekels, claiming she was a victim of a "Russian scam" and believed the transaction was merely a loan collateralized by the property. She alleged that she was defrauded by individuals promising high investment returns and later offering to help recover her losses, which required her to secure a loan against her apartment.

Buyers, a married couple, stated they were unaware of any scam and simply sought to purchase a suitable apartment. They claimed the seller appeared normal during the transaction, received legal counsel, and even negotiated payment terms. The court found no evidence linking the buyers to the alleged fraud, noting inconsistencies in the seller's account, such as a lack of communication records with the supposed facilitators of the loan.

The judge acknowledged the woman was indeed a victim of a scam, citing evidence of her transferring 160,000 shekels to a Turkish account and corresponding with individuals posing as bank and government officials who promised large sums in exchange for fees. However, the court determined the buyers acted in good faith and were not complicit in the fraud.

The court upheld the sale agreement, ordering the apartment to be transferred to the buyers within 90 days, provided the remaining payment is made. The seller was ordered to pay 15,000 shekels in legal costs.

The case draws parallels to a high-profile incident in Russia involving singer Larisa Dolina, who also attempted to void a property sale after falling victim to a scam. In that case, initial rulings favored Dolina, but Russia's Supreme Court eventually sided with the buyer, establishing the "Dolina effect" for similar disputes.