97 victims and hundreds of thousands of shekels: Couple from Bat Yam emptied bank accounts

A large-scale fraud case has been exposed following an investigation by the Fraud and Cybercrime Unit of the Central District. Today, an indictment was filed against a couple from Bat Yam, Friel Ben David, 33, and Sahar Shmuel Abutbul, 26, attributing to them a series of fraud offenses, after they allegedly operated for a long period using a method in which they posed as insurance company representatives.

According to the police statement, the covert investigation was conducted in recent months following dozens of fraud cases. During the investigation, information was gathered linking the couple to 97 victims, mainly from the Arab community, totaling hundreds of thousands of shekels.

According to the indictment, Ben David would contact potential victims and present herself as a representative of insurance companies, using aliases. During the calls, she provided them with accurate personal and financial data to establish their trust and convince them that she was indeed representing the insurance company.

Afterward, it is alleged, she told the victims that they had funds available to be withdrawn from insurance accounts, provident funds, or savings. The victims were asked to generate a code from their bank account that allows for cardless cash withdrawal and to pass it on to the couple.

In the next stage, according to the indictment, Abutbul would arrive at various withdrawal points in Bat Yam, enter the codes, and withdraw the money in cash from the victims' accounts. Police noted that in some cases, he arrived at the withdrawal points riding an electric scooter and left shortly thereafter.

According to the indictment, the two operated for about two and a half years and obtained details on customers of various insurance companies, including Clal, Harel, Menora, Migdal, and Phoenix. In some cases, it is claimed, the victims were promised that the couple would help them receive the funds in exchange for a payment or commission.

The couple was arrested on August 26, 2009, after the police completed the covert phase of the investigation. During a search of their apartment, 10 phones were seized, which investigators used to check the scope of the activity and the possibility of locating additional victims.

As part of the search, an electric scooter, a helmet, and 67,410 shekels in cash were also seized, for which, according to the indictment, no legal explanation was provided. In addition, Abutbul is charged with an offense related to the possession of 21.06 grams of cannabis.

The investigation continued even after the arrest, during which the number of victims linked to the case increased. While at the arrest stage there was talk of dozens of victims, the police statement published with the filing of the indictment stated that the investigation revealed 97 victims.

According to the indictment, the cumulative amount withdrawn from the victims' accounts stands at 408,400 shekels.

An indictment was filed against the couple charging them, among other things, with obtaining something by fraud under aggravating circumstances, conspiracy to commit a crime, invasion of privacy, and use of a payment instrument component with intent to defraud.

The prosecution simultaneously filed a request to keep the two in custody until the end of the legal proceedings against them, and also requested to forfeit the money and property seized.