Two Indicted in Israel for Luring and Extorting Men Through Fake Online Profiles

The State Attorney's Office has filed a formal indictment against two men accused of orchestrating a string of violent robberies and extortions targeting men through online dating traps. Zohar Peretz, 28, of Dimona, and Moshe Khalfon, 18, of Beersheba, allegedly worked alongside a third suspect to lure victims to remote locations by posing online as a young woman.

According to the charge sheet, the suspects obtained a provocative photograph of an acquaintance and used it to create fake profiles to initiate contact with male victims. In one notable incident, the suspects posed as a minor who initially asked the victim for assistance with food and cigarettes before arranging a meeting in a parking lot. Upon his arrival, the trio confronted the man, shouting, "You came for my sister? She is a minor!" When the victim refused to hand over money, they physically assaulted him, stole 1,100 shekels and his mobile phone, and demanded a 50,000 shekel ransom for the device while photographing his car to intensify threats.

Investigation and Evidence

Following a victim's complaint to the police, an extensive investigation revealed that the incident was part of a broader pattern of criminal operations designed to entrap, rob, and blackmail vulnerable men. Investigators gathered substantial evidence, including street camera footage, digital communication paths, and witness testimonies. Furthermore, victims successfully identified the suspects during a formal police lineup.

Following their arrest, Peretz and Khalfon initially invoked their right to silence before ultimately denying all allegations and claiming they did not know each other. However, mobile phone examinations and digital chat records dismantled their claims by establishing clear communication links between them. Alongside the indictment, prosecutors from the Southern District submitted a formal request to hold both defendants in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.