Soccer manager held on suspicion of molesting teens

Police announced Wednesday that they have arrested Hapoel Petah Tikva general manager Ofer Tzabari on allegations of sexually abusing male minors over a long period of time.

Four other men suspected of complicity were also being held.

Several of the minors were under Tzabari’s authority as a soccer coach. The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court extended Tzabari’s remand Wednesday afternoon by six days.

Last month Tzabari was detained over suspicions that he had run over a police officer. He allegedly hit the woman when he fled in his car after other police officers caught him sitting naked in his parked vehicle with a minor.

His interrogation following that incident led to the arrest of the other men, who allegedly had sexual relations with 15 teen boys, among them 15- and 16-year-old prospective soccer players.

Police also asked the court to extend the remand of the other men allegedly involved.

During the discussion of the request to extend Tzabari’s remand, a police representative said that an investigation of his conduct continued in secret since he was first arrested on November 27.

Tzabari paid minors NIS 100 to have sex with him, the police representative said, and added that “we have testimony that he is perfectly aware of what he is doing.”

Tzabari “reaches out to minors that are in need of attention” and seek his company as an adult.

Tzabari’s attorney, Moshe Yohai, said no sexual offense was perpetrated against any Hapoel Petah Tikva players.

Police “interpret every incident of laying a hand on someone by my client as a sexual thing,” Yohai said. “I assume the truth will come out. The Bat Yam police took my client on as a project out of some desire to torment him.”