Owners of premier soccer league team said among 8 arrested in fraud case
Suspects believed to have used legitimate companies as a front for tax evasion and money laundering
Eight people were arrested on Monday morning on suspicion of fraud and tax evasion, police said.
According to Hebrew media reports, among those detained were the owners of a an Israeli premier league soccer team.
The suspects were not named by police.
All of the suspects were questioned under caution on suspicion of alleged involvement in fraud, conspiracy to commit a crime, tax offenses, and money laundering, police said.
“The suspicion is that that those involved, each in his own way, worked together to commit tax and money laundering offenses by using legitimate companies as a cover for criminal activities,” the police statement said, without elaborating.
After a period of undercover operations, an investigation was opened by the Lahav 433 anti-fraud unit “in light of evidence that raised concerns of a financial crime.”
Police also conducted searches of the suspects’ homes and offices as well as applying “extensive economic enforcement.”
The investigation is being handled by the unit, in coordination with tax authorities and the state prosecution, police said.