Legal Precedent: Confiscation of Funds on Suspicion of Protection Racket, Even Without Conviction

The Be'er Sheva District Court approved the confiscation of 165,000 shekels from funds seized on suspicion of extorting protection money, even without a criminal conviction. The groundbreaking civil procedure aims to complement criminal enforcement tools in the economic fight against the phenomenon.

The Be'er Sheva District Court approved the confiscation of 165,000 shekels from funds seized during a police investigation on suspicion of extorting protection money (protection racket), even though no criminal conviction was handed down. The funds were seized from A.G. Galim Security, Cleaning and Maintenance Ltd. and from Makram Abu Zkeika. The state sought to confiscate 330,000 shekels, but under a settlement agreement, the company and Abu Zkeika agreed that there is a factual and legal basis for the request. Half of the amount was confiscated for the state, and the remaining half will be returned to the respondents. Judge Geula Levin approved the agreement and gave it the force of a judgment. The prosecution stated that this is a groundbreaking civil procedure intended to complement criminal enforcement tools in the economic fight against extortion of protection money. Additionally, it was reported that several months ago, the Committee for Licensing Private Investigators and Security Services at the Ministry of Justice decided to revoke the license of A.I. Galim Security, Cleaning and Maintenance Ltd., and an appeal has been filed against this decision.