Modeling agent accused of sexual abuse to be extradited to Israel next week

Modeling agent Shai Avital is set to be extradited to Israel next week to face dozens of sexual harassment complaints, four months after he was nabbed in Amsterdam, police said Sunday.

He is expected to land in Israel as soon as January 3, according to Hebrew media reports.

Last week, Dutch Justice and Security Minister Dilan Yeṣilgöz-Zegerius ordered the Dutch police to hand over Avital to Israeli custody after a Dutch court ruled last month that he could be extradited to Israel.

The decision came after Israel submitted a formal request to the Netherlands for his extradition in September. Avital, who also holds a Portuguese passport, did not exercise his right to appeal the decision in a higher Dutch court.

Israel’s based its extradition request on two allegations made against Avital of indecent acts, out of 26 total complaints accusing him of rape and other sexual offenses.

Avital’s arrest in the Netherlands in August came more than a year after the Israel Police issued an initial arrest warrant, and three months after an international Interpol warrant was issued against him.

בדרך לישראל: הסגרת סוכן הדוגמניות שי אביטל צפויה בשבוע הבאhttps://t.co/gEiswdLunv@liran__levi pic.twitter.com/pJUThc1cYB

— ynet עדכוני (@ynetalerts) December 25, 2022

Investigative reports about Avital’s conduct toward women have been published by Israeli journalists as early as 2008, but an official criminal investigation began only in July 2021 after Channel 13 news released evidence of Avital sending models threatening messages.

According to documents released by the network, in 2009 Avital paid NIS 120,000 ($35,000) to model Israela Avtau after he sexually assaulted her in his office. The incident was apparently kept under wraps, and Avital continued his career as an agent.

Messages of a sexual nature allegedly sent by Avital to several women, including minors, were also shown by the network.

Several women also claimed Avital exposed himself in front of them, including at least one case that resulted in them having sex afterward, which continued regularly after Avital promised the apparent victim would be featured on a popular reality show.

Other women accused him of forcibly groping, kissing and licking their faces. The allegations span the past two decades.

In leaked text messages, Avital appeared to boast that he had connections with the police and was not afraid of any complaints against him.