Police arrest a professional soccer player on suspicion of gambling, fixing games and other financial crimes as part of his alleged ties to a gang in northern Israel.
His arrest is part of a larger investigation into a violent gang based in Migdal HaEmek, whose members are suspected of taking orders from a mob boss currently behind bars. The probe is being conducted by investigators in the Lahav 433 major crimes unit.
“The arrest this morning joins arrests that were carried out last week, in full cooperation with the Israel Football Association,” police say.
The detained suspect plays in the National League, Israel’s second division.
Law enforcement suspects the athlete of “gambling in a systemic, illegal manner that does not suit his being an active soccer player in a senior league.”
Officers plan to interrogate other individuals suspected of involvement in the gang’s activity, police say.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
