Israeli Immigration Authority Employee Fired for Sexual Extortion of Ethiopian Women

Lior Tadla Solomon, an employee of the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority, was dismissed and permanently banned from public service following a disciplinary court ruling. Solomon, who worked since 2000 and held a senior role in the authority's Ethiopian Desk, was convicted of bribery and privacy violations related to demanding sexual favors from vulnerable Ethiopian women seeking immigration assistance between 2015 and 2016. The court found that Solomon exploited his position of power and the women's dependence on him, engaging in sexual propositions, phone calls, and intercourse in exchange for help with immigration and family reunification matters. Many of the women were divorced or separated, economically disadvantaged, and raising children alone in Israel.

In 2023, the Jerusalem District Court sentenced Solomon to nine months of community service and a suspended prison term, but in August 2025, the Supreme Court increased his sentence to 12 months of actual imprisonment. The disciplinary court described the case as severe and damaging to public trust in government institutions, citing the Supreme Court's characterization of Solomon's actions as "marked by exceptional baseness." The court also noted Solomon's failure to take responsibility throughout the criminal proceedings.

Solomon was suspended from work since June 2016. The disciplinary panel ordered his immediate dismissal without severance pay, which amounted to about 49,000 shekels. However, half of this sum was allocated to his wife, who is not employed and was uninvolved in his misconduct. The court considered the prolonged suspension and partial salary during that period as mitigating factors regarding his family's financial impact. No response was received from Solomon's representatives.

The ruling included a severe reprimand, permanent disqualification from any government service including the Population and Immigration Authority, and the forfeiture of all state severance payments except the portion granted to his wife. The case highlights serious abuse of authority and exploitation of a marginalized community within Israel's immigration system.