Former Driver and Ex-Police Officer Suspected of Raping 16-Year-Old Girl Who Ordered a Taxi in the Krayot

Albert Ismailov of Kiryat Yam is suspected of raping a minor who ordered a taxi through the Gett app. According to suspicion, he deviated during the ride to an isolated area, raped the girl and threatened her. His remand was extended. His lawyer said, “He completely denies having sexual intercourse.” Police are working to identify additional victims.

Haifa Magistrate’s Court extended the detention of Albert Ismailov, 33, of Kiryat Yam, a former police officer and Border Police combatant who works as a taxi driver, on suspicion of committing serious sexual offenses against a girl about 16 years old. According to suspicion, the incident took place during April, after the complainant, who knew the suspect through his work as a taxi driver, ordered a ride from him through the app. Police are looking for additional complainants.

According to the girl’s account, she ordered the ride as usual, but during the trip Ismailov deviated from the route and took her to an isolated area. There, according to suspicion, he committed serious sexual offenses against her against her will, exploiting his position and their prior acquaintance. At the end of the incident, the suspect allegedly threatened her not to tell what had happened and charged her for the ride through the app as usual.

Ismailov, a former police officer and Border Police combatant with no criminal record, denies the allegations against him completely. His lawyer, Attorney Assaf Cohen, said that his client came in for questioning voluntarily, fully cooperated, and even took a polygraph test on his own initiative. The attorney claimed there are material inconsistencies in the girl’s version, and that she presented herself as someone who would soon turn 18. He also noted that app data shows the complainant took another ride with the suspect about two hours after the alleged incident.

People close to the girl strongly reject the suspect’s claims about her age. “It doesn’t make sense, he has known this girl since eighth grade,” one of her associates said. “He picks her up from school, he has known her for years.” According to them, the girl’s appearance makes her young age obvious and it is hard to accept the claim that he thought she was an adult. “Physically the girl is very small, you can see she is tiny, she could never be 18,” the associate added.

According to the complainant’s family and friends, there are messages she sent to friends shortly after the incident in which she described being sexually assaulted. Another detail presented concerns the day after the incident, the girl ordered a taxi through the app, and when she discovered that Ismailov was the driver who accepted the ride, she canceled it immediately. People around her say this strengthens her version. It was also alleged that the driver referred to the girl as a “traitor” over the years and used to ask about her.

Police initially requested a seven-day extension of his detention in order to carry out 15 investigative actions, and said the minor’s account is supported by additional evidence. Judge Orit Kantor ruled that there was reasonable grounds for suspicion and ordered Ismailov’s remand extended until Friday, June 12, 2026. Police said some investigative steps could be compromised if the suspect is released from custody.

Attorneys Yaniv Zusman and Sapir Bozgalu, who represent the girl, said in response that this is a serious case committed through exploitation of the suspect’s status as a taxi driver. “Our client showed extraordinary courage when she chose to share and reveal what happened to her,” the attorneys said. “She did so despite threats from the suspect and amid very difficult feelings of fear and deep concern that she experienced.” The two called on additional victims, women or men, who experienced a similar incident to contact the relevant authorities as soon as possible.