Israeli Police Arrest Three Suspects in Half-Billion Shekel Money Laundering Scheme Using Payment Vouchers

The Jerusalem District Unit (YAMAR) and the Israeli Tax Authority uncovered a major fraud case involving three main suspects accused of fraud, money laundering, and tax offenses totaling approximately 500 million shekels. The investigation, dubbed "Payment Voucher," revealed that the suspects operated an international economic crime network aimed at laundering money, evading taxes, and deliberately concealing income to harm state revenues.

The inquiry, conducted covertly for over a year by YAMAR's fraud division alongside tax investigators from Jerusalem and the south, exposed the suspects' use of extensive payment vouchers related to real estate transactions as part of their scheme. They allegedly ran a complex network of fictitious companies and nonprofits both in Israel and abroad to launder funds for local companies, smuggle money into Israel, and hide cash through fake invoices, cash payments, bank transfers, real estate voucher payments, and family members' bank accounts.

On July 14, the investigation entered its public phase with raids on the homes of 16 suspects, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of dozens of assets believed to have been acquired fraudulently or with undeclared income. Dozens of individuals suspected of using the suspects' services for money laundering and tax evasion have been questioned. The detention of the two primary suspects, aged 56 and 48 from Kiryat Yearim and Tel Aviv, was extended by court order until the following day to continue the investigation.