Deytz Seeks Emergency Order to Halt Maccabi Tel Aviv Share Transfers

Richard Deytz's VR Capital Group has filed an urgent request for interim and temporary relief with the Tel Aviv District Court's economic department. The petition, submitted by Deytz's legal team, aims to halt recent actions by the Recanati family and Shimon Mizrahi. Deytz alleges these moves are intended to alter the club's ownership structure and power balance before ongoing shareholder disputes are resolved through arbitration and Jason Levin's status is determined.

The core of the dispute involves approximately 9% of Maccabi Tel Aviv's shares. These shares were offered for sale to Levin by a company controlled by Ben Ashkenazi on September 2, 2026, for $18 million. Deytz claims that Recanati and Mizrahi, who previously sought to sell shares to Levin and bring him into the club, are now attempting to acquire these same shares themselves.

Deytz argues that such a move would reduce the number of shares his company can purchase under its existing right of first refusal. He also points to an economic inconsistency, noting that the Recanati-controlled company initially offered the shares at a club valuation of about $172 million, but now seeks to buy them at a valuation closer to $200 million. Deytz contends these transactions are part of a single plan to reshape the club's ownership before arbitration begins.

The request invokes a famous quote by former player Tal Brody, "We are on the map, and we are staying on the map... not just in sports, in everything." Deytz's filing reinterprets "everything" to include "legal, tortious, infringing, and bad-faith maneuvers" by Recanati and Mizrahi.

Deytz is asking the court to block the disputed transactions, preventing the transfer or distribution of shares, changes in ownership registration, and the granting of voting or economic rights. He also seeks to freeze prior actions related to Levin's share acquisition.