Brothers Accused of Leading Gang That Controlled Food Deliveries in Kiryat Gat

By איתמר לוין

Translated & summarized from Mako by baba

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Hebrew · 7 newsrooms covering

Brothers שי and מיכאל בנמו, along with associates, are indicted for allegedly leading a criminal gang that seized control of food delivery services in Kiryat Gat through threats and extortion. The indictments detail a hierarchical structure and the gang's use of intimidation to dominate the local delivery market. Undercover agents exposed the operation, leading to charges including conspiracy, extortion, and threats. The prosecution seeks to detain the defendants pending trial, citing extensive evidence of organized crime's grip on the city's delivery sector.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Brothers שי and מיכאל בנמו are indicted for leading a gang that controlled Kiryat Gat's food delivery services.
The gang allegedly used threats and extortion to dominate businesses and delivery drivers in the city.
Undercover agents infiltrated the criminal operation, leading to the indictments.
Associates אורן דהן, אביאל מרציאנו, and business owner מימון אטדגי are also charged.
Evidence includes testimony from victims, drivers, undercover agents, and intercepted communications.
שי בנמו has a prior record including convictions for violence, drugs, and fraud.

Brothers Accused of Leading Gang That Controlled Food Deliveries in Kiryat Gat — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The State of Israel has filed indictments against brothers שי בנמו and מיכאל בנמו, who allegedly led a criminal gang that terrorized business owners in Kiryat Gat by taking control of food delivery services. The indictments, submitted to the Beersheba District Court, also name associates אורן דהן and אביאל מרציאנו as members of the בנמו gang, and מימון אטדגי, a delivery business owner who allegedly joined the gang's management.

The prosecution claims the בנמו gang operated hierarchically, with שי בנמו at the top, directing his brother מיכאל and other members. They allegedly operated with secrecy to conceal their involvement in criminal activities, including extortion and threats against businesses, delivery drivers, and others in the food delivery sector in and around Kiryat Gat. The gang allegedly took over אטדגי's business in 2016 and two years later placed him at the forefront of their own operations, with מרציאנו managing behind the scenes to hide the בנמו brothers' involvement.

According to the indictments, the criminal activities were uncovered by undercover agents who infiltrated the operation between December 2025 and August 2026. The agents posed as delivery drivers and business owners seeking to enter the Kiryat Gat delivery market, even establishing a fictitious company called "עולם המשלוחים" (World of Deliveries).

שי בנמו is accused of conspiracy to commit a crime, extortion, and threats. דהן, מרציאנו, and אטדגי face charges including conspiracy, extortion, obtaining property by deception, aggravated robbery, and obstruction of an investigation. דהן, מרציאנו, and אטדגי are listed as prosecution witnesses against the בנמו brothers and are expected to reach plea deals.

The police are seeking to detain all defendants until the end of proceedings, citing evidence that includes testimony from אטדגי, victims, delivery drivers, wiretaps, and the undercover agents. Phone data reportedly revealed extensive communications detailing the gang's operations, including management of the delivery system, instruction dissemination, financial dealings, and the use of their influence to intimidate rivals and solidify control over the industry. The prosecution highlighted שי בנמו's extensive criminal record, including convictions for violent offenses, property crimes, drugs, fraud, and money laundering, and מיכאל בנמו's past convictions for weapons offenses and reckless driving.