Suspicion: Lawyer used an impersonator to sell a property for NIS 2.2 million

A real estate lawyer is accused of recruiting an impersonator who posed as the owner of a property in Kfar Saba worth NIS 2.2 million, forging documents, and fraudulently registering a mortgage. The buyers signed a contract and a cautionary note was registered, but the scheme was uncovered at the last moment when a real estate agent contacted the original property owner.

A real estate lawyer, attorney Ben Haim, has been indicted in court for allegedly planning and executing a complex scheme to sell a property in Kfar Saba worth NIS 2.2 million using an impersonator. According to the indictment, attorney Ben Haim forged a power of attorney and legal documents, fraudulently registered a mortgage on the property in favor of a company owned by another person, and offered the property for sale. To deceive the buyers' lawyer, Ben Haim recruited a man named Buchris, had him made up and dressed up, and filmed a video of him impersonating the property owner and signing the sales contract, in exchange for a promise of payment. Following the fraud, the buyers signed the sales contract, a cautionary note was registered in their favor at the Land Registry, and they were asked to transfer the amount in cash. The scheme was uncovered at the last moment after a real estate agent contacted the original property owner to inquire about the sale. The owner, who knew nothing, immediately filed a complaint with the police, preventing the transfer of funds. Additionally, during the investigation, Ben Haim instructed Buchris not to identify himself in the impersonation video, thereby committing an offense of obstruction of justice. The indictment charges both defendants with aggravated fraud, impersonation, forgery, and use of forged documents, and Ben Haim is also charged with obstruction of justice.