Construction Contractor Says Extortion Case Was Closed After He Filed Evidence with Police

A construction contractor from central Israel, identified only as A, says he was extorted by criminals who threatened his life and his family’s lives, forcing him to leave Holon. The case was reported Wednesday by Channel 14, which said it included exclusive recordings of the threats.

According to the report, the contractor, who has no criminal record, is married and has children, was first approached by men demanding he settle a fictional debt of tens of thousands of shekels. Fearing violence, he paid 20,000 shekels, after which the demands escalated. He said he then received dozens of calls and messages a day and continued paying them tens of thousands of shekels each week.

When he could no longer keep up, he stopped answering and the threats intensified immediately. That same night, the extortionists allegedly showed up near his home in Holon and waited for him. The pressure became so severe that he was hospitalized for a period, while the threats continued.

A eventually went to the Holon police station, filed a complaint, and handed over recordings of the extortion. Police then decided to close the file without investigating, issuing a notice that they had decided not to open an inquiry. After realizing he had no protection, he left Holon for another city. The report said the case highlights the limits of enforcement despite recent efforts by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to combat extortion through legislation, dedicated units, stronger enforcement, and indictments.