Overview
- Police detained the mayor of a southern Israeli city on Monday morning while he was vacationing in Eilat and transferred him to Lahav 433 for questioning.
- Several senior municipal officials, aides, and multiple local businesspeople were also taken into custody in the same operation.
- Investigators say tens of millions of shekels intended for city welfare and civilian relief were diverted to private businesses.
- According to police suspicions, donations from Israel and abroad were funneled through a community foundation, paid out for fictitious services, then partially kicked back as cash or benefits.
- The arrests followed about a month of covert work by Lahav 433 that included raids on homes and municipal offices, and the investigation remains ongoing.