The Israeli taxman and police investigators are collaborating in a major prosecution against 14 Israelis resident in Haifa and central Israel, whom officials originally indicted in 2013 for money laundering and illegal gambling activities associated with online sports betting website Donbet.
The Times of Israel reported over the weekend that the illegal gambling website’s owners now also stand accused of evading taxes on NIS 4.5 billion – allegedly unreported income derived from Donbet over the period 2009 – 2012.
Recent amendments to the indictment include additional tax evasion charges against four as yet un-named individuals who are alleged to be the owners of the enterprise, nine bookmakers associated with it and one individual who is alleged to have been a money-laundering accomplice.
Donbet was originally taken down by the Israeli authorities in 2012 after over a year of investigations that resulted in scores of arrests. Further enquiries culminated in the indictment focused on money laundering and illegal gambling against 14 persons late last year, whilst the recent amendment has added the tax evasion charges.