New sexual assault complaint filed against pop star Eyal Golan

Israeli musician Eyal Golan revealed on Wednesday that he is currently under investigation for sexual assault, after Hebrew-language media reported in recent days that police were investigating a complaint against a “famous singer.”

Details of the complaint against Golan were first reported by Channel 12 on Monday.

The complaint dealt with allegations from around 10 years ago, the network reported, and it was filed around six months ago following unspecified events that prompted the complainant to go to the police.

The complainant, a beautician, met Golan when he came to her for a facial treatment, Channel 12 reported. She alleged to the police that upon entering her clinic, Golan removed his pants and underwear, exposing his genitalia to her, and made untoward sexual comments. She alleged that he later pushed her to send him nude images, Channel 12 said.

As the alleged incident is a decade old, the Walla news outlet reported that police are examining whether the statute of limitations may have already expired, given that the alleged crime would fall into the lowest tier of sex offenses under Israeli law.

At the same time, Walla reported, the woman also filed complaints against several of Golan’s close associates over two incidents alleged to have taken place around five years ago.

According to the report, the woman alleged that in two separate instances, an associate of Golan lured her to a hotel — once in Eilat and once in northern Israel — slipped a date-rape drug in her drink, and assaulted her.

Police are investigating the allegations, Walla said, as they fall within the statute of limitations.

Golan, who has previously been investigated on suspicion of sexual crimes, confirmed in a post on Instagram that he was the “famous singer” at the center of the case, and dismissed the accusations as nothing more than “a case of extortion.”

“For several months now, [the threat of] blackmail has hung over me,” he continued, “and I will not lend a hand to blackmail and baseless threats.”

According to Golan, who is one of Israel’s most famous and successful entertainers, the complaint against him is “a total lie, and part of a blackmail attempt that has gone on for several months.”

“I have all the proof, recordings and messages that prove everything is false,” said Golan, claiming that the incident was being dealt with “by the relevant authorities.”

“This time I will not be able to go through this in silence,” the 54-year-old singer added, apparently referring to a decade-old police investigation into allegations of sex offenses against minors.

Golan was interrogated by the police in 2014 on suspicion that he had engaged in sexual encounters with underage girls. He denied the allegations, and the Tel Aviv District Attorney’s Office later announced it would drop the charges due to lack of evidence.

He was questioned again in 2022 but was not charged with a crime. Last year, one of his accusers, Taisia Zamolutsky, who was a minor at the time of the alleged crime, came forward publicly with her story, sparking renewed interest in the case.

In 2015, Golan’s father, Danny Biton, was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of soliciting minors for prostitution, among other offenses. He was charged with using his son’s fame as a well-known performer to take advantage of the girls, knowing that they suffered socioeconomic hardship and had a troubled home life.

Separately, Golan was found guilty in 2014 of evading taxes and falsifying billing on income of NIS 2.6 million ($750,000). He had to pay a fine of NIS 75,000 ($20,000) and do four months of community service at an old-age home in Rishon Lezion.