Corporal Louis Mascotta
Photo: Yariv Katz
Soldier who stole IDF chief's credit card named
Louis Mascotta scheduled to be indicted Sunday on charges of assault, weapons theft, and fraud
The name of a soldier accused of assault, weapons theft and trafficking, and stealing the IDF chief of staff's credit card information
was cleared for publication Wednesday.
The soldier is accused of unobtrusively entering Gabi Ashkenazi's
office, stealing a handgun that he later sold, and photocopying the chief of staff's credit card.
A military court revealed his identity as Corporal Louis Mascotta after ruling that the investigation on his case was closed. The affair was first published by Ynet.
Thief in Uniform
Tel Aviv, Qalansuwa residents charged with weapons trade, credit card fraud, attempted robbery in affair of Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi's stolen credit card information
The purchasers of the handgun, 22-year old Hamudi Majadele from Tel Aviv and 20-year old Nashef Sadir from Qalansuwa, were indicted earlier Wednesday.
Mascotta, 20, emigrated from Argentina in 2004. He enlisted in the IDF in August of 2008 and received the office of facility security guard. Without first undergoing any training he was stationed at IDF Headquarters in Tel Aviv.
The accused, who currently resides in Raanana with his girlfriend, has no police record. However Ynet has learned that he was attacked in a fight that broke out in Raanana a few months ago. In addition, he was absent from service for a few hours on two separate occasions, which led a military court to place him on probation.
The soldier's attorney demanded that his identity be kept under a gag order as its publication may bring harm to his family. However the court determined that removal of the order would not do "serious harm".
The indictment against him is scheduled to be filed on Sunday at a military court in Jaffa, and will most likely include theft of two M16 rifles and the handgun, assault of a soldier from whom he is accused of stealing one of the rifles, and credit card fraud.
