Tax Authority Arrests Vendor Suspected of Hiding $1.2 Million in Income
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Israel's Tax Authority arrested Lior Ezra, a 48-year-old fruit and vegetable vendor from Petah Tikva, on suspicion of hiding 4.5 million shekels in income. Ezra allegedly funneled credit card revenue to a relative's bank account and took a salary, avoiding reporting significant earnings since 2018. He was released under restrictive conditions, and his investigation continues.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A fruit and vegetable vendor was arrested on suspicion of hiding 4.5 million shekels in income.
- The vendor allegedly transferred business revenue to a relative's bank account.
- The suspect managed a produce business in Petah Tikva since 2018.
- The Tax Authority's investigation revealed undeclared credit card income.
- The suspect was released under restrictive conditions pending further investigation.
Israel's Tax Authority has arrested a fruit and vegetable vendor from central Israel on suspicion of concealing approximately 4.5 million shekels (about $1.2 million) in business income. The suspect, identified as Lior Ezra, 48, from Petah Tikva, has managed a produce business called "Shuk Ramat Gan" since 2018. According to court documents, intelligence suggested that a relative, who originally established the business and transferred its management to Ezra, was receiving significantly higher payments from credit card processing companies than what was reported to tax authorities. An investigation by the Tax Authority's intelligence department revealed that Ezra, while reporting some business income since 2018, had not declared any income received via credit card payments. This led to the suspicion that business revenues were being funneled to the relative and not reported at all. A subsequent open investigation involved searches, evidence seizure, and the questioning of Ezra and others. Investigators believe that Ezra allegedly transferred some of the business's cash and credit card receipts to his relative's bank account, while Ezra himself received only a monthly salary from the relative. This scheme, authorities claim, allowed Ezra to hide business income from the tax authorities and harm public funds. Ezra appeared before the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court on Thursday and was released under restrictive conditions. His investigation is ongoing. Ezra is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
