Man Arrested for Posing as Shin Bet Officer, Defrauding Girlfriend

Israeli police have arrested a 34-year-old man from Kiryat Ata on suspicion of impersonating a Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) officer and defrauding a woman he met online. The suspect allegedly claimed his family was killed on October 7th, using this fabricated story to initiate a romantic relationship and solicit money from the victim, identified as 'A.', a resident of northern Israel.

A. met the man on Tinder and he immediately presented himself as a Shin Bet officer operating in Judea and Samaria, specifically mentioning Jenin. He also claimed to live in a Gaza border kibbutz and that his family was murdered during the October 7th Hamas attacks. After meeting in person, A. became suspicious of his manipulative and charismatic demeanor. She decided to feign ignorance to gather evidence of his deception.

The man, who is married with children, also told A. he had lost his home and suffered financial losses due to the October 7th events. When he began demanding a large sum of money, A. decided to end the relationship and report him to the police. She stated her motivation was to prevent other women from suffering a similar fate.

Police confirmed the arrest after questioning the suspect. Over several months, A. transferred thousands of shekels to him. His detention has been extended until September 27th. The suspect's attorney, Baruch Geda, stated his client denies the allegations, claims the relationship ended after A. threatened to report him, and expects a thorough investigation.