Israel Police arrests United Hatzalah worker in embezzlement scandal

A United Hatzalah worker was arrested for embezzlement of funds from fraudulent vehicle accident claims, Israel Police said on Tuesday.

The Jerusalem District police arrested a suspect for questioning on suspicion of fraud and embezzlement of the funds of the United Hatzalah Association, where she worked as part of a prisoner rehabilitation program.

According to the suspicion, she fraudulently obtained hundreds of thousands of shekels through false reports about traffic accidents with the association's vehicles - accidents that never happened.

The statement reads that in recent months, a complaint was received by the police from the management of the United Hatzalah association, which raised suspicions of fraud and embezzlement of the association's funds after an inspection that took place in the organization. Upon receipt of the complaint, an undercover investigation was opened by the fraud unit of the Jerusalem District.

The investigation by the police shows that one of the employees of the association was integrated into a position dealing with the organization's transportation and was responsible for the repair costs and damage caused by accidents with the association's vehicles. This job placement was within the framework of a prisoner rehabilitation program after she finished serving her sentence. 

According to a report, the same employee committed embezzlement amounting to hundreds of thousands of shekels, by submitting fake invoices from various garages throughout the country.

The suspect used the money for personal gain or transferred it to relatives

The embezzlement was carried out by reporting fictitious traffic accidents with the association's vehicles that never happened, and fictitious damages caused to citizens as a result.

The investigation showed that the funds fraudulently obtained from the rescue union funds in this way, were transferred to her relatives or the suspect directly, as well as to various businesses and service providers.

At the end of various investigative operations, the police investigation became public, when the detectives of the Jerusalem Police Department arrested the suspect, in her 30s and a resident of Shoham, at her home.

The suspect was transferred to the fraud unit of the Jerusalem district for investigation on suspicion of theft from an employer, forgery, conspiracy to commit a crime, money laundering, and more. At the request of the police, her detention at the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court was extended until February 4.

In addition, the suspect's sister was also arrested, who, according to the police, illegally received large sums of money, as part of the act of fraud and embezzlement.

United Hatzalah released a statement on the event, saying "

"In the United Hatzalah organization there are strict mechanisms of professional and continuous monitoring and review regarding the financial activity and payments in the organization. The control mechanisms of the Finance Division detected a suspected embezzlement attempt by a former employee who was fired.

A complaint has been filed and the matter is now being handled by the police.

The organization takes any attempt to break the law or embezzle very seriously and puts extra emphasis on this as an unbreakable policy."