Israeli Court Approves Seizure of NIS 165,000 in Racketeering Case

A precedent-setting civil lawsuit aimed at combating racketeering has resulted in the confiscation of NIS 165,000 (approximately $45,000 USD) by the state. The Southern District Prosecutor's Office (Civil Affairs) and the State Prosecutor's Office's Civil Enforcement Division petitioned for the seizure of funds confiscated during a racketeering investigation, even without a criminal conviction.

The Southern District Court in Be'er Sheva approved a settlement agreement where NIS 165,000 of the seized funds will be confiscated by the state from the company "A.G. Galim Shmira, Avtaha ve-Nikayon" and Makram Abu-Zaki. The initial request was to seize NIS 330,000 in total, with NIS 300,000 taken from A.G. Galim and NIS 30,000 from Abu-Zaki.

The state sought the full amount, viewing the civil claim as a tool to complement criminal prosecution. Under the settlement, the company and Abu-Zaki acknowledged sufficient factual and legal grounds for the confiscation. Half of the seized sum will go to the state, and the other half will be returned to the defendants.

State Prosecutor's Office officials highlighted this case as part of a broader strategy against racketeering, employing civil and economic measures to undermine the financial incentives for such activities, especially when criminal prosecution is not feasible. Additionally, the Ministry of Justice's licensing committee for private investigators and security services had previously revoked the licenses of A.G. Galim and its security organizer several months ago, a decision the company is appealing.