Israeli Tax Authority Employees Arrested Over $80 Million Fraudulent Tax Refund Scheme

By דסק החדשות C14

Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba

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Israeli police arrested current and former Tax Authority employees in Petah Tikva for allegedly accepting bribes to approve fraudulent tax refunds worth 80 million shekels. The investigation, spanning 2018-2019, uncovered a corrupt scheme involving multiple officials, with further arrests expected.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Israeli Tax Authority employees arrested for accepting bribes to approve false tax refunds.
Fraudulent refunds totaled about 80 million shekels from 2018 to 2019.
Arrests include current and former officials from the Petah Tikva tax office.
Investigation led by Lahav 433's National Fraud Unit and Tax Authority investigators.
Police raided suspects' homes and offices; court hearings pending.
Further arrests or probes are expected as the investigation continues.

Israeli Tax Authority Employees Arrested Over $80 Million Fraudulent Tax Refund Scheme — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Israeli police arrested several current and former employees of the Tax Authority in Petah Tikva on Monday, suspecting them of accepting bribes in exchange for approving fraudulent tax refunds totaling approximately 80 million shekels. The arrests followed a covert investigation by the National Fraud Investigation Unit (Yahaha) of Lahav 433, in collaboration with the Tax Authority's Central Investigations Division.

Among those detained are Boris, a former deputy tax assessor in Petah Tikva; Sasson, a former team coordinator at the same office; Shadi, a current team coordinator; and Kadushin, a former junior employee in the report processing department. Police raided their homes and offices as the investigation became public, and some suspects are expected to appear in Ramla Magistrate’s Court for detention extension hearings.

A police source revealed that the bribery scheme operated over several years, specifically between 2018 and 2019, allowing individuals to receive tax refunds they were not entitled to. The source indicated that the corrupt system involved separate arrangements with each employee and that further arrests or investigations are anticipated. Some suspects have since retired during the lengthy inquiry.

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