Israeli Minister May Golan Questioned in Bribery Probe

Minister of Social Equality and Advancement of Women's Status May Golan appeared on October 21 for questioning by the Lahav 433 police unit in Lod as a suspect in a bribery case. The investigation, dubbed "the money case," involves allegations of aggravated bribery, fraud, abuse of public trust, and filing a false affidavit. Police sources indicated that sufficient evidence has been gathered to file an indictment against the minister. The police concluded their investigation into Golan and her ministry's employees in June 2026 and forwarded the case to the State Prosecutor's Office for a decision on charges. Golan had previously refused to appear for questioning despite multiple summonses. The prosecution requested investigators give Golan another opportunity to present her account, leading to the recent summons.

The criminal investigation into May Golan began in February 2025, following an investigation by Channel 12 "Keshet" journalists. The probe examined suspicions that ministry employees obtained benefits deceitfully, misused state funds for personal purposes, engaged in sham employment, and concealed funding sources. The journalists alleged that Golan appointed relatives of her close associates and supporters to fictitious positions within her ministry. A central question is the potential link between donations to "Ha-ir Ha-Ivrit" (The Hebrew City), a public organization founded by Golan, and appointments in her ministry. The organization reportedly conducted little real activity, and its funds were allegedly misused. Golan purportedly received a salary from the organization while serving on its board, a violation of public organization laws. She allegedly continued to manage the organization after being elected to the Knesset, which is also prohibited.

Another aspect of the investigation focused on an attorney and his wife. The attorney previously worked as a parliamentary aide to Golan and served on her organization's board, providing her with legal services. He allegedly charged NIS 5,000 for preparing and filing lawsuits. Golan reportedly spent tens of thousands of shekels from her constituent outreach budget on preparing legal documents and warning letters, though no such lawsuits filed by him were found. His wife was allegedly given a fictitious position at Golan's ministry. She had previously worked at the Ashdod municipality and later opened a dog grooming salon, telling reporters she worked with animals "for my own pleasure, without strain." Despite this, she was reportedly listed as a ministry employee receiving a state salary while running her salon.

Further scrutiny involved another associate who received NIS 250,000 from Golan's ministry for strategic consulting services as a political aide. His partner, Noam Aarony, who was 21 at the time of the investigation, was also reportedly hired by Golan as a coordinator in the minister's office, though her duties and presence there were unclear. The investigation also examined Golan's ties to Taiwan. As chair of the "Israel-Taiwan" friendship group, she reportedly arranged a tour for embassy representatives in southern Tel Aviv, creating a "semblance of helping the needy" that was not accurate. Subsequently, her organization "Ha-ir Ha-Ivrit" received a $20,000 donation from the Taiwanese embassy. The funds' destination remained unknown as the organization had not filed financial reports for three years.