Israeli Court Orders Son to Return Millions to Brother in Inheritance Dispute
The Family Court in Rishon Lezion recently ruled on a complex inheritance dispute involving a multi-million shekel estate left by a deceased father to one of his two sons. Judge Mirit Polus determined that the substantial sum actually belonged to the disinherited son and ordered the brother who received the inheritance to repay him. The plaintiff son lives abroad, while the defendant son resides in Israel. The father had managed a bank account in Israel on behalf of his son living overseas, acting as trustee. Approximately 4.6 million shekels were deposited into this account, and according to a court-appointed expert, around 900,000 shekels were withdrawn over the years for real estate and other expenses, leaving about 3.7 million shekels.
Before his death in 2018, the father left a will bequeathing all his assets, including the remaining 3.7 million shekels, to the son living in Israel. The son abroad filed a lawsuit claiming he had entrusted his father to manage the funds wisely, but discovered the account had been largely emptied. He demanded repayment of the full amount plus linkage and interest, totaling about 4.6 million shekels. The defendant argued the funds were "shared money" intended for the entire family and that the deposits were gifts from his brother to their father, which he then inherited legally. However, Judge Polus found the defendant failed to prove this claim, describing it as an "admission and displacement" argument that did not meet the burden of proof.
The court emphasized that the money originated from the plaintiff's accounts abroad and was deposited into a joint account with the father, indicating the funds belonged to the plaintiff. The judge concluded that the large sum of approximately 3.7 million shekels belonged solely to the son living abroad despite the will's provisions. Consequently, the defendant was ordered to return the full amount with linkage and interest, capped at 4.6 million shekels, and to pay 50,000 shekels in legal fees to his brother. The ruling clarifies the ownership of the disputed inheritance funds and enforces repayment to the rightful heir.
