Founding Brothers Clash Over Royalties and Bounced Checks at Ben Mosh Records
Founders of legendary Ben Mosh Records face a legal showdown as bounced checks revive a dispute over royalties, unpaid wages, and financial transparency.
A bitter multi-year legal battle between the founding brothers of the legendary 'Ben Mosh Records'—a pillar of Mizrahi music in the 1970s and 1980s—has reached a new financial impasse. Moshe Ben Mosh, a renowned guitarist and former member of the famous band 'Tlelei HaKarmel', has filed a motion with the Tel Aviv District Court's Economic Department demanding financial transparency and corporate documents after checks issued to him by the company bounced.
A Legacy of Mizrahi Music and a Family Rift
During the 1970s and 1980s, Ben Mosh Records was a leading producer of cassettes and records for prominent Mediterranean music artists, including Zohar Argov, Yishai Levi, Eli Luzon, Shlomi Shabbat, and Dekelon—Moshe's long-time musical partner in Tlelei HaKarmel. Although the company is no longer active, its catalog continues to generate ongoing royalties from FIM - the Federation for Israeli and Mediterranean Music. The company's equity is split between brothers Avigdor Ben Mosh holding 46%, Moshe Ben Mosh holding 36%, and Eliezer Ben Mosh holding 18%.
The legal dispute initially erupted in 2023, when Moshe filed a lawsuit at the Tel Aviv Regional Labor Court against his brothers Avigdor and Eliezer, demanding approximately 400,000 NIS in unpaid wages and social benefits. Moshe argued that in 2018, Ben Mosh Records ceased its membership with FIM, and Avigdor was registered as the shareholder in FIM instead. According to Moshe, the circumstances of the change, the connections involved, and any potential consideration paid were never disclosed to him. Moshe maintained that he received a monthly salary of 5,000 to 5,300 NIS and a dividend of 100,000 NIS over the years, but claimed he was deprived of his rightful compensation.
Allegations of Forgery and Counter-Claims
In his court affidavit, Moshe addressed an accounting ledger presented by the company regarding the funds he was allegedly owed: "I was in shock; this is a sophisticated forgery. The ledger does not reflect actual transfers, which is why I attached bank statements to prove I never received the wages I was due." He added, "Ben Mosh Records would not have existed without me. Unfortunately, my brother Avigdor was more talented in management and business, and he effectively took over the company and did as he pleased, while my role was recruiting the artists."
In response, Avigdor rejected the claims entirely. "My brother, instead of saying thank you for all the years I supported him honorably, chose to repay me with a baseless lawsuit," he stated in a counter-affidavit. Avigdor claimed that in 2014, he proposed reporting a portion of Moshe's profit share through salary slips from Ben Mosh Records to reduce tax expenses, an arrangement that lasted until 2018 when payments stopped because Moshe allegedly contributed nothing to increase business profits. Regarding royalties, Avigdor asserted that all revenues from a new partnership with other producers were transferred to Ben Mosh Records and divided equally.
Bounced Checks and Court Demands
The labor court dispute concluded in December 2025 with a ruling ordering the brothers' production company to pay Moshe 92,000 NIS. However, according to the document production request filed by Moshe, the checks issued by Ben Mosh Records to settle the debt were dishonored by banks. "The plaintiff does not claim he is automatically entitled to 36% of every company revenue," the legal motion stated. "The purpose of the request is to ascertain what revenues were received, what was done with them, whether distribution decisions were made, and whether funds or benefits were paid to other shareholders or related entities."
