Umm al-Fahm Attorney Arrested in Major Tax Evasion and Smuggling Sweep
Israeli authorities arrested attorney Sobhi Mahameed in Umm al-Fahm during a joint tax evasion and organized crime sweep, suspecting him of concealing 9 million shekels and issuing 13 million in fictitious invoices.
A joint enforcement operation led by the Tax Authority, the Israel Police, and the Prime Minister Office's Task Force for Combating Crime in Arab Society was conducted on Tuesday in Umm al-Fahm and the surrounding area. During the raids, local attorney Sobhi Mahameed was arrested on suspicion of tax offenses involving millions of shekels.
According to the investigation by the Haifa and Northern District Tax Assessing Officer for Investigations, Mahameed is suspected of concealing 9 million shekels in professional income between 2020 and 2025, and issuing approximately 13 million shekels in fictitious tax invoices through a company he owns. Investigators searched his residence, seizing documents, computers, and luxury vehicles including a Mercedes and an Audi Q2.
Following his arrest, Mahameed was brought before the Hadera Magistrate's Court, which extended his remand until Thursday as the investigation continues. The operation also targeted several local businesses, involving income tax investigators, customs, and police units to check compliance with bookkeeping regulations, cash restriction laws, and tax payments.
During the sweeping inspections, authorities uncovered multiple violations, including unreported incomes reaching hundreds of thousands of shekels, large quantities of smuggled tobacco, and severe breaches by financial service providers. In one instance, a currency exchange conducted half a million shekels in unregistered transactions, while another handled 1.5 million shekels in violation of cash restrictions. A local contractor was also found to have concealed over 250,000 shekels in income.
