After Four Years of Struggle, Northern Business Owner Convicted of Sexual Assault

The women who refused to give up, four years after workers from northern Israel launched a campaign to reopen the case, centered on complaints they filed against their employer for sexual assault, the Tiberias Magistrate's Court recently convicted Moshe Lev and sentenced him to nine months in prison to be served as community service, six months' suspended sentence, and NIS 7,500 compensation to the complainant. ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth followed the case from the start and exposed the closure of the file, and the fact that the complainants had not even been informed about it.

Nearly five years ago, four women worked at a business run by Moshe Lev in northern Israel. After a short time, they filed police complaints about sexual assaults they experienced while working at his business. However, the prosecution later decided to close the case and not file an indictment. The workers refused to give up and turned to attorney Roni Aloni Sadvonik, who specializes in representing victims of sex offenses. At the same time, as noted, ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth exposed the story of the young complainants and asked the prosecution why their complaint had been closed. Later, attorney Aloni Sadvonik filed an appeal against the decision to close the case, the matter was reopened, and three female workers remained in the indictment.

In the verdict, Judge Yariv Navon, deputy president of the Northern Magistrate's Courts, convicted Moshe Lev of indecent acts in three separate incidents. The prosecution asked to sentence Lev to 30 months in prison, a lengthy suspended sentence, and significant compensation to the complainants, but as noted, he will not serve any actual prison time.

"The moment the judge ruled that he believes us and that we were indeed victims of sex offenses, we had hope that justice would be served. We expected Lev to receive a fitting punishment, not just community service that is lenient and accommodating to him. I would ask the prosecution to appeal the sentence, this man must be put in prison," said Dana, a pseudonym, 25, one of the workers sexually harassed by Lev.

Leah, a pseudonym, 27, another young woman victimized by Lev's actions, said, "On the one hand I was very strengthened by the fact that the judge believes me and accepts my version, but on the other hand I was very disappointed by the sentence, I expected him to be in prison. He caused us grave damage that will never go away. We fought very hard for him to be convicted and go to prison, and in the end he got community service as if he had stolen gum from a kiosk."

Attorney Ofer Sabo, who represents Lev, said in response, "This is a completely normative defendant, with no criminal record. He totally rejects the sentence and claims that the complainants joined forces to harm him. In light of the verdict he has suffered severe personal harm, we believed the case would end in acquittal, and we intend to appeal the verdict and bring about his full acquittal."

Attorney Aloni Sadvonik said, "It is sad to see how a process involving four victims lasted five years, and in the end it was found that the complainants were telling the truth."

The prosecution said, "We have received the sentence, we are studying it and will consider the next steps in the case."

First published: 00:08, 11.06.26