developing· Security· Updated 18:46

Tiberias Football Club Officials Arrested in Financial Probe

On Sunday, October 18, 2026, Israeli police arrested four senior figures associated with the Hapoel Ironi Tiberias football club in a major financial and criminal investigation. The suspects include the club's owner, Aryeh Kalmanzon, his former partner Miki Beitan, former coach Eliran Hodda, and finance manager Yael Bar. The Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court extended their detention until Thursday, following police concerns over potential evidence tampering.

3 newsrooms · 1 language · since 08:34

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Tiberias Football Club Officials Arrested in Financial Probe — Illustration by baba

What happened

01Four Hapoel Ironi Tiberias officials, including owner Aryeh Kalmanzon, were arrested on Sunday in a major financial and criminal probe.
02The Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court extended the detention of the four suspects until Thursday.
03The Lahav 433 fraud unit is investigating suspected fraud, forgery, money laundering, and tax evasion totaling tens of millions of shekels.
04The alleged systematic offenses, including double contracts, were reportedly committed over a period of four seasons.
05Police seized luxury vehicles and real estate from senior club officials during the arrests on Sunday.
06Over 100 current and former players are being questioned as part of the expanding investigation.
07Hapoel Ironi Tiberias is currently managed by a trustee and has previously faced point deductions for financial and doping violations.

The investigation, led by the Lahav 433 national fraud unit, is dubbed the "Mirror Image" case. It was conducted over recent months in collaboration with the Israel Football Association, the Tax Authority, the National Insurance Institute, and the Registrar of Associations. Investigators suspect systematic offenses committed over four seasons, including obtaining property by deception, false registration in corporate documents, forgery, money laundering, and tax evasion related to player salaries. The total scale of the alleged offenses, which involve double contracts, is estimated at tens of millions of shekels.

During the arrests, police searched the suspects' homes and seized luxury vehicles and real estate. The probe has expanded to include current and former players, with over 100 players from the past four seasons summoned for questioning. The club, which is currently managed by a trustee due to an ownership dispute, has previously faced significant point deductions and indictments for financial and doping-related violations.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 19:27

Latest report: N12. Read N12’s original