Senior Customs Official at Ben Gurion Airport Fired and Permanently Barred Over False Attendance Reports and Misconduct
Ran Sofer, a former senior enforcement manager at the customs department of Ben Gurion Airport and ex-chairman of the national customs and VAT workers' union, has been dismissed from the Tax Authority and permanently barred from its service. This decision was made by the State Employees Disciplinary Court following a plea agreement between Sofer and the state. Sofer was convicted of multiple disciplinary offenses, including falsifying 38 attendance reports, 22 involving himself and 16 cases where he helped a subordinate, Adi Sharafman, submit false reports by signing each other's timecards.
In addition to falsifying attendance, Sofer was found guilty of inappropriate conduct and undermining discipline due to aggressive, threatening, and disrespectful behavior toward two female employees: a cafeteria worker and the administrative manager of the customs house at Ben Gurion Airport. These findings followed a lengthy investigation and two exposés published by Calcalist in 2019 and 2021, which provided much of the evidence against him.
The disciplinary case, considered one of the most severe involving false attendance reports, began after initial complaints in 2017 but was reportedly delayed amid allegations that Sofer received protection from senior Tax Authority officials. Despite the ongoing investigation, Sofer continued to serve in a judicial role within the State Employees Union disciplinary court.
As part of the sentencing, Sofer received a severe reprimand, a one-month salary forfeiture, and a demotion lasting 18 months, which will negatively impact his pension benefits. His subordinate Sharafman was also convicted and received a three-year ban from management roles, a severe reprimand, a demotion, and salary forfeiture.
Sofer's lawyer, Ayala Honigman, negotiated the plea deal, which included dropping some charges and reducing others. The revised indictment detailed Sofer's false attendance reports between 2018 and 2019 and his misconduct incidents in 2019 and 2021 involving threats and verbal abuse toward female employees. The prosecution emphasized Sofer's breach of trust and damage to public service integrity. Sofer, now 58, accepted responsibility and agreed to the plea deal, effectively ending his public service career.
