Bnei Brak Man Indicted for Systematic Fraud Exploiting Good Samaritans
An indictment was filed against 47-year-old Moshe Maatsari of Bnei Brak for systematic fraud and theft, exploiting Good Samaritans by claiming his car was towed.
An indictment was filed today (Thursday) against Moshe Maatsari, a 47-year-old resident of Bnei Brak, for a series of fraud, theft, and payment card offenses. According to the prosecution, several victims attempted to assist him after he claimed his car had been towed with his wallet left inside, only to discover their goodwill was exploited to extract money and credit cards.
Systematic Fraud and Deception
According to the indictment, Maatsari repeatedly approached passersby in public places, falsely claiming his vehicle was towed to a parking lot in Tel Aviv and asking for money to release it. In some cases, he promised to return the funds and even compensate them for their trouble. The prosecution claims he obtained cash and credit cards this way, subsequently making transactions and cash withdrawals.
In one incident, Maatsari approached a victim at a synagogue on Herzog Street in Bnei Brak, obtaining his credit card. He allegedly withdrew 1,500 shekels in three transactions and made purchases totaling around 6,000 shekels, including a 5,200-shekel transaction at a bicycle repair shop.
"The defendant systematically targeted the goodwill of citizens, choosing his victims in a manner that enabled him to extract funds and credit cards," the prosecution stated in the remand request.
Exploiting Good Samaritans
In another instance, a victim accompanied Maatsari in an attempt to help. The two met at a kiosk in Ramat Gan, and the victim withdrew 700 shekels from his account. They then drove together to the Cinerama parking lot in Tel Aviv, where his car was supposedly located. During the trip, Maatsari allegedly obtained the victim's credit card, PIN code, cash, and mobile phone, later stealing thousands of shekels.
Additional charges detail incidents near Maayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, where Maatsari approached a father and son using the towed car story. The father gave his son a credit card and 1,000 shekels to assist, and the son took a taxi with Maatsari. Along the way, the card, PIN, and cash were handed over, leading to withdrawals at various stores including Super-Pharm and Foot Locker.
Previous Convictions and Theft
The indictment also notes an incident at Maayanei Hayeshua while a woman was in the delivery room, where Maatsari allegedly stole credit cards and cash from a bag left outside. Furthermore, he is accused of breaking into a vehicle in Bnei Brak to steal checkbooks and a driver's license, and stealing a handbag from an employee at the Yesh Hesed supermarket.
According to the prosecution's motion to detain him until the end of proceedings, Maatsari has 13 prior convictions between 1994 and 2026 for property, fraud, and legal violation offenses, having served over 12 years in prison cumulatively.
