Police arrested a lawyer suspected of fraud under aggravated circumstances, theft, and document falsification, among other things, the police said last week.
In addition to these offenses, which amounted to over NIS two million, the lawyer was also suspected of money laundering, amounting to NIS 20 million, the police added.
The covert operation was carried out jointly by police officers from the Southern District in addition to officers of the Yahalom unit operating under the Israel Tax Authority.
The police further noted that the investigation revealed that over ten individuals who had used his services when buying and selling properties were victims of his schemes.
The lawyer had been recommended by a real estate office located in southern Israel.
Suspect disappears
The individuals had transferred sums to the lawyer, who refused to hand them over to the local authorities and the property sellers and subsequently disappeared.
The police added that it had raided the lawyer's house and detained him for questioning the real estate agent and his son, whose name was registered in the implicated real estate office.