Israeli Businessman Sentenced to 44 Months for $1.6 Million Tax Fraud
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Avner Alok, owner of Sagiv Technologies Defense Against Fire Ltd., was sentenced to 44 months in prison for tax fraud involving fictitious invoices totaling NIS 5.75 million. The Ramele Magistrate's Court also imposed a suspended sentence and a fine. Alok was found to be the main perpetrator, attempting to shift blame to subordinates. The court cited his prior convictions and lack of restitution in its sentencing.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Avner Alok sentenced to 44 months for NIS 5.75 million tax fraud.
- Alok's company used fictitious invoices to unlawfully deduct input tax.
- The court found Alok to be the dominant figure in the offenses.
- Alok's prior criminal record and lack of restitution were noted.
- The court rejected Alok's request for a reduced sentence compared to another involved party.
An Israeli court has sentenced Avner Alok, the owner of Sagiv Technologies Defense Against Fire Ltd., to 44 months in prison for severe tax offenses, including 35 counts of unlawfully deducting input tax. The Ramele Magistrate's Court also imposed a 10-month suspended sentence and a NIS 100,000 fine, which can be commuted to an additional 10 months imprisonment.
Between 2012 and 2015, Alok's company received 139 fictitious invoices from five different companies. These were included in the company's tax reports, allowing Alok to unlawfully deduct approximately NIS 5.75 million (about $1.6 million) in input tax. The indictment, filed in 2018, revealed that Alok attempted to conceal his involvement by appointing figurehead managers who acted under his direction.
The court found Alok to be the dominant figure in the offenses, noting his prior criminal record, which includes previous tax convictions and a jail sentence. The court also highlighted that Alok had not rectified the financial discrepancies, even partially. His claim for a reduced sentence by comparison to another individual involved in the case was rejected due to differences in their roles, the scope of their offenses, and their personal and criminal circumstances.
Furthermore, the court denied Alok any leniency due to the passage of time, stating that he was responsible for numerous delays in the proceedings. The case was handled by lawyers Eitan La'amei and Devir Amar from the Central District Legal Unit of the Tax Authority, and investigated by the Investigation Unit and Customs and VAT Tel Aviv.
