Tel Aviv Police Officer Accused of Sexually Exploiting Tourist

A Tel Aviv police officer is facing charges for allegedly detaining a tourist from Kazakhstan without legal grounds, pursuing her after her release, and exploiting his position for sexual favors. The Police Internal Investigations Department filed an indictment against the officer, who served in a Tel Aviv police intelligence unit, on Wednesday. He is accused of abuse of power, fraud, and breach of public trust.

According to the indictment, the officer detained the tourist on the night of June 9-10, 2025, after responding to a call about a woman allegedly throwing items from her balcony. Despite no legal basis for arrest, he allegedly threatened her with detention and had an EMT warn her in Russian. She was handcuffed and taken to the station, where she was held for about three hours without interrogation. The officer then allegedly released her and gave her his personal number, intending to initiate a sexual relationship.

After her release, the officer allegedly followed her home on his scooter, entered her apartment, and later visited her three more times, including during work hours. A sexual encounter reportedly occurred during one of these visits. Subsequently, the woman asked for his help in recovering a debt of several thousand shekels from a friend. The officer allegedly implied that his ability to help was contingent on further sexual contact, becoming angry and leaving when she refused.

In another instance, the woman asked the officer to investigate the arrest of an acquaintance. Although the case was unrelated to his duties, the officer allegedly checked the details, visited her, and warned her against associating with the acquaintance, claiming he was suspected of drug offenses.

The indictment states the officer used his authority for personal gain, damaging public trust in the police.