Israeli developer faces 20.2 million shekel lawsuit
Former boxing champion Johan Zaoui has sued developer Rudy Gabsi, alleging breach of a loan agreement and failure to provide collateral for luxury properties in Tel Aviv.
Former European champion and world vice-champion in boxing, Johan Zaoui, has filed a lawsuit for 20.2 million shekels in the Tel Aviv District Court against real estate developer Rudy Solomon Gabsi, owner of the "Lenny Group". At the center of the dispute is an unpaid loan, occurring against the backdrop of relationships within the wealthy French immigrant community in Herzliya.
According to the statement of claim, in 2023, Zaoui lent Gabsi 27 million shekels at an interest rate of 9%. Following numerous delays, he received a partial repayment of only 8.5 million shekels. An agreement signed in November 2025 stipulated that the remaining debt would be settled through the transfer of assets in a project on Allenby Street in Tel Aviv and the registration of cautionary notes by February 2026. Zaoui claims that Gabsi breached the agreement, misled him, and failed to provide the required collateral, as reported by Bizportal.
This is not the first financial dispute for Gabsi, whose company operates both in Israel and abroad, as he has faced significant debts to non-bank credit institutions in recent years. Zaoui’s attorney, Eitan Liraz, noted that the agreement was drafted by a French-speaking lawyer who represented both parties, and that the possibility of suing the lawyer is currently being examined. A statement of defense has not yet been filed.
