A former treasurer of the Tuba-Zanghariya Council was indicted last week for embezzling millions of shekels from the council's funds over the course of several years, Israel Police announced. The man’s sister, 49, and two sons were indicted as well. 

The announcement came following an investigation by the Northern District Fraud Unit. The suspect is a resident of Tuba-Zanghariya and is 63 years old. 

Police said the investigation was opened after an accountant, who was external to the council, was hired to conduct a thorough examination of the management of the council, with a specific focus on workers’ salaries.

Because such a deep-dive was being done into the council’s finances and payments, it was discovered that the former treasurer inflated his salary, as well as that of his sister’s who also worked in the council, by telling the bank to transfer him one amount, while reporting a different one to the work logs.

Another way he inflated his own salary was by creating fictitious employees to be paid, including his two sons, who are 33- and 28-year-old, while he pocketed the money. This went on for several years. 

Police car at night (credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Police car at night (credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Between the years 2016 and 2021, NIS 1.7 million was embezzled through these methods: the inflation of salaries and the payment to fictitious employees. A little over one million shekels went into his personal account, while NIS 150,000 went to his sister’s, NIS 300,000 to one of his sons, and NIS 137,000 to the other. 

The investigation became public in January. The treasurer and his family members were detained for questioning by authorities, who searched the treasurer’s home and council offices for evidence.

What were the charges?

A week ago, the Northern District Prosecutor’s Office filed indictments at the Nazareth District Court against the treasurer, his sister, and his two sons, “on charges of theft by a public servant, aiding and abetting theft by a public servant, fraud, and money laundering,” said police.