Bank of Jerusalem Reassures Customers Amid Employee Disappearance and Stock Drop

The Bank of Jerusalem sent an urgent email to its customers on Thursday to dispel fears of financial misconduct following the mysterious disappearance of employee Mally Yahalomi and her daughter Liel in Vienna, Austria. The bank's shares plunged about 12% during trading hours amid rumors linking the disappearance to the bank's operations. Although the stock partially recovered, investor concerns persisted throughout the day.

In its statement, the bank emphasized that a thorough internal investigation found no evidence of any irregularities or embezzlement involving customer funds. It assured customers that their money is safe, managed according to legal requirements, and protected by the bank's control systems. The bank also confirmed that all customer account activities continue normally and that oversight mechanisms remain fully operational.

Bank CEO Yair Kaplan addressed employees directly, acknowledging the unsettling nature of the media coverage but clarifying that aside from Yahalomi's employment, there is no connection between the disappearance and the bank. He reminded staff of a gag order restricting information sharing about the case.

The disappearance of Mally and her daughter Liel, last seen in Vienna on Friday, is under investigation by Israel's national Lahav 433 unit. The court approved a gag order on the investigation details. While initial assessments suggest the case is not related to nationalist motives, the family insists that possibility remains open until the women are found. The Israeli embassy in Vienna has also issued a statement regarding the case.