Bribery and money laundering suspicions: The entanglement of the deputy mayor of Kiryat Bialik and his sons

The Tax and Economic Prosecution Office has notified the representatives of Yossi Azriel, deputy and acting mayor of Kiryat Bialik, his sons Tom and Ben Azriel, the company they own, as well as other real estate firms, their owners, and officials, that they are considering indicting them, subject to a hearing, on suspicion of various offenses including bribery, breach of trust, and money laundering—each according to their involvement.

Between 2018 and 2022, while Yossi Azriel served as deputy and acting mayor of Kiryat Bialik, chairman of the local planning and construction committee, and held a series of positions in municipal corporations, he maintained ongoing contact with municipal officials, members of the local committee, and numerous entrepreneurs operating within the city's jurisdiction.

According to the allegations, from 2019 until March 2022, Azriel acted alongside his sons to promote their economic interests by exploiting his public positions, status, and influence. To this end, the three established the company "Ritev," in which he was a central figure involved in management and decision-making.

It is further suspected that throughout this period, "Ritev" served as a platform for receiving benefits from entrepreneurs operating within the jurisdiction of the committee headed by Azriel, as well as for promoting the business activities of the three while exploiting his public office.

The case was investigated by the National Unit for Combating Economic Crime (YAHA) of Lahav 433 in the Israel Police.