Jerusalem Crime Figure Injured in Bombing, Past Convictions Detailed

An explosive device detonated Tuesday morning in Jerusalem's Armon Hanatziv neighborhood, targeting Yitzhak Bar Mocha, 58, a figure associated with the "Jerusalem Gang." The gang, which operated gambling dens and provided loans in the gray market, was led by Gabi Ben Harush and included brothers Yossi and Simo Malka. The group had ties to other underworld organizations, including the Abergil and Riko Shirazi families.

The gang gained notoriety during the collapse of the Trade Bank, when Ofer Maximov, brother of bank employee Eti Alon, incurred massive gambling debts with Bar Mocha and Yossi Malka. His sister subsequently stole approximately a quarter of a billion shekels from bank customers to cover his debts. In 2003, Bar Mocha and Malka received three-year sentences for operating illegal gambling, tax offenses, threats, and money laundering, though a charge related to receiving 50 million shekels from the bank's embezzlement was dropped.

Bar Mocha also faced charges in a separate violent case. In 2004, he was sentenced to seven years for planning an attack on criminal Yaakov Kakon and for extortion. His brother, Moshe Bar-Mucha, received five years in the same case after a bomb he was planting exploded in his hands. Even from prison, Bar Mocha remained involved in criminal activity. In 2007, a lawyer smuggled drugs to him and another prisoner, leading to convictions for drug offenses. In 2011, he was charged with running a loan sharking operation from prison, which was later reduced to lesser charges in a plea deal.

Following his release, Bar Mocha's name surfaced again in connection with an attempted attack on former associate Shimon "Simo" Malka in 2016, though no charges were filed against him due to evidentiary issues. He was later suspected in an attempted attack on Yossi Malka in 2017, but was only charged with trespassing and possession of burglary tools. He was also arrested in 2018 alongside Kutayr Odeh, a prominent Arab crime figure, in connection with the "Arab Spring" case, facing charges of extortion and weapons offenses. This case revealed a close relationship that reportedly later soured.

The assassination attempt on Tuesday, which left Bar Mocha and his 13-year-old son seriously injured, occurred as they were on their way to school. The investigation has been assigned to the central unit, and a gag order is in effect. Police believe the attempt was initiated by criminals operating in central Israel.