Breaking Update
2.5 years jail, $20k fine for fake invoices
Ashdod Magistrate's Court sentences Amir Bar Lev Alon to 2.5 years in jail and a $20k fine for defrauding Israel of ₪5.7 million via fake tax invoices.
The Ashdod Magistrate’s Court sentenced Amir Bar Lev Alon (Partook), a resident of Ashkelon, to a lengthy prison term and a fine. He was convicted, based on his confession and a plea agreement, of committing a wide range of serious tax offenses.
According to the verdict, the defendant was convicted of 42 offenses of issuing tax invoices without being entitled to issue them, 4 offenses of failing to submit a periodic VAT report on time, and 6 offenses of deducting input tax without a tax invoice. The amount of tax withheld from the state treasury as a result of his actions amounts to approximately 5.7 million ₪, and no amount of the defrauded tax had been returned by the time of the sentencing.
The court determined that these offenses severely harmed the public coffers, the principle of equality in bearing the tax burden, and public trust in the general system. It was also noted that the defendant has a prior conviction for tax offenses.
In addition, the court also considered personal circumstances, including the defendant’s economic and family situation, but determined that these did not justify a substantial reduction in the sentence given the severity and scope of the offenses.
The verdict reflects, according to the court, the prevailing sentencing policy for serious tax offenses and is intended to send a clear message of zero tolerance towards intentional harm to the public coffers.
The case was prepared and managed by Adv. Nofar Chen Meloui and Adv. Noy Okman Saban from the Ashdod VAT Regional Legal Department.
