Man Acquitted After Using Ex-Girlfriend's Credit Card for 33 Car Rentals

Despite the fact that for months the credit card of his ex-girlfriend was charged for dozens of car rentals totaling over 15,000 shekels, Magistrate Court Judge Itai Hermelin acquitted the defendant of all charges. The judge determined that while his financial conduct was "irresponsible," the state failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was aware that the complainant's credit card was the one bearing the charges.

According to the indictment, during their romantic relationship, the complainant allowed the defendant to rent a car using her credit card, with the agreement that he would repay her. It was alleged that he subsequently continued to use her card details without her knowledge or consent.

33 Rentals Totaling 15,644 Shekels

Over five months, the defendant rented a car 33 times for a total of 15,644 shekels. Additionally, parking tickets totaling 1,250 shekels were registered in her name for offenses committed in the vehicles he rented.

Evidence showed that after separating, the two remained on friendly terms and even traveled together to a festival. During that trip, the app was accessed under the complainant's name because the defendant did not have his physical driver's license with him.

Once the complainant discovered the charges, she canceled the card, demanded repayment, and filed both a police complaint and a civil lawsuit.

Arguments and Defense

The prosecution argued that the defendant was fully aware he was charging her card for months, establishing the necessary criminal intent. The defense, however, argued that a technical error in the rental app was to blame. The defense attorney conducted a court demonstration showing that it was possible to enter other people's credit cards into the app, contradicting the testimony of the rental company's representative.

The defendant testified that he believed he had entered his own or his mother's card details after the initial rental. He claimed he did not notice error messages or emails due to his difficult financial situation and poor personal financial management.

The Court's Ruling

Judge Hermelin ruled that it was not proven that the defendant planned from the start to misuse the complainant's card. He also criticized the rental company representative's testimony, stating it could not be relied upon.

"The evidence presented raises a heavy suspicion that the defendant rented cars while aware he was charging the complainant's card without consent," the judge wrote. "However, suspicion is not enough for a conviction." Ultimately, the judge found that reasonable doubt remained regarding the defendant's awareness, leading to his acquittal.