First extradition from US to Israel on tax charge

For the first time, a man has been extradited from the US to Israel for tax offenses. Last week, Aharon Barashi, wanted for evading NIS 17.5 million in income tax and VAT in 1997-2011, was extradited from the US to Israel, where he will stand trial.

The State Prosecutor's international department asked for Barashi's extradition, after he fled from Israel in 2003 and was found in the US. He fled Israel after the Jerusalem District Prosecutor indicted him, following an investigation by the Israel Tax Authority's investigations department. He was arrested in Miami in November 2012 on the basis of the extradition request.

At the extradition hearing, Barashi consented voluntarily to the extradition, foregoing extradition procedures. As part of a plea bargain with the Jerusalem District Prosecutor, he was convicted on Thursday by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court. Tomorrow, the court will hold a hearing on his sentencing.

Barashi's voluntary return to Israel was made possible by the close cooperation by several Israeli agencies, including the State Prosecutor's international department, the Jerusalem District Prosecutor, the State Prosecutor's fiscal department, the Israel Police's Interpol unit, and US law enforcement agencies.