Ex-official in PM’s office said jailed under false name for sex offenses

A man who used his position in the Prime Minister’s Office to sexually exploit several women in subordinate positions is reportedly serving a lengthy sentence in prison under shadowy circumstances and using a fake identity.

Sources in the PMO told the Haaretz daily that the case was “extreme and unusual,” and that publicizing the perpetrator’s name and the offenses he committed could endanger his life as well as cause problems for the women involved.

The sex offenses in question took place several years ago.

Upon being confronted with the allegations, the man, who according to the report served in a “sensitive” position, admitted his guilt and agreed to go to prison for an extended period of time.

Haaretz said all those involved in the case, from police detectives to senior PMO staff, have been instructed not to discuss the case with anyone, and only a few prisons service staff are in on the secret.

A spokesperson for the Israel Prisons Authority would not confirm or deny whether a former PMO official was serving a prison sentence, or whether such a person had been designated a false name to protect his identity.

Asked how common it was for the authority to hide a prisoner’s identity and if there were other convicts with similar arrangements, the spokesperson said he was could not comment on the practice, or Monday’s report, due to its “sensitive nature.”

The PMO declined to comment on the report or on whether it had requested for a prisoner’s identity to be protected. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declined to say whether the report referred to an official who had worked under the current premier.

Raoul Wootliff contributed to this report.