Associate of Israeli Minister Questioned by Police Over Fraud Allegations

Israeli police have revealed that Idan David, a former senior executive at the state-owned company Netivei Ayalon and an associate of Transport Minister Miri Regev, was questioned as a suspect in a fraud investigation. David was previously suspended from his position as chairman of Netivei Ayalon's board following an investigation by Channel 12 reporter Yossi Mizrahi.

The investigation alleges that David submitted false information on his resume to the civil service appointments committee, with suspicions of forged signatures on some documents. Investigators from the National Bureau for Economic Crime are examining David on suspicion of multiple serious offenses, including perjury, aggravated document forgery, and obtaining benefits by deception. Authorities are looking into whether David systematically used deception to pass vetting and secure his position by presenting grossly distorted information about his professional background.

David, a 40-year-old accountant, was appointed chairman of Netivei Ayalon in 2025 with significant support from Minister Regev and Minister David Amsalem. Netivei Ayalon manages multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects. David reportedly claimed to have managed budgets of approximately 1 billion shekels and led a team of 400 people. However, Mizrahi's investigation suggests he actually supervised fewer than ten employees and managed budgets around 20 million shekels.

The investigation traced discrepancies back to 2012 when David worked at the agricultural company Migdalit. He described this period as "financial director of a large company" but omitted Migdalit's significant debt and a pending indictment for illegal use of foreign labor. Furthermore, individuals named as references in his application denied signing the documents, with one, former Migdalit general director Sasson Raviv, stating his signature was forged and that David's "financial director" title was merely nominal.

Further allegations suggest that projects David claimed to advance while leading a real estate company were also fictitious. When confronted by Mizrahi, David did not provide explanations for the discrepancies. The investigation suggests potential criminal violations occurred during his vetting and appointment process.

David's appointment, supported by Regev and Amsalem, came despite his lack of experience in the transport sector, with his background primarily in municipal and private sectors. Netivei Ayalon manages an annual budget of about 3 billion shekels. Since David's appointment, there has been internal conflict, with David reportedly attempting to oust CEO Orly Stern, whose term extends to March 2027. Government company authorities blocked these attempts, citing Stern's successful performance. The conflict escalated when a representative of the Government Companies Authority accused David of trying to hold board meetings without legal counsel and exclude oversight bodies. David's representatives have stated his appointment was lawful and denied any document forgery.