Yitzhak Abergil
צילום:גיל יוחנן
Court grants motion to extradite mob bosses to US
Brothers Yizthak and Meir Abergil wanted for accessory to murder, other offenses in US and Belgium to be extradited along with three other men
The Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday granted a motion filed by the State Prosecutor's Office to extradite brothers Yitzhak and Meir Abergil and Sasson Barashi, Moshe Malul and Israel Ozifa to the United States.
Meir Abergil's lawyers have already stated they plan to appeal the decision.
Judge David Heshin ruled that Yitzhak Abergil will be extradited for money laundering, accessory to murder and drug offenses. Meir Abergil and Barashi will be extradited for money laundering and extortion, Malul for accessory to murder and Ozifa for drug charges.
The Abergils, Malul and Barashi will remain under arrest until their extradition.
Meir and Yitzhak Abergil in court Tuesday (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Yitzhak Abergil has been indicted by the US for drug trafficking, accessory to murder and heading a crime family. His brother, Meir, is charged with money laundering and extortion.
According to the indictment, Yitzhak Abergil was involved in the murder of an Israeli drug dealer, Sammy Atias, in Los Angeles, after Atias allegedly stole money from him.
The indictment also states that Abergil, along with his brother Meir and three other accomplices were involved in money laundering in the Trade Bank affair. Some of the embezzled money had allegedly been transferred by them to the US, where it was "laundered" through loans to businessmen, some of whom they had also extorted.
Abergil is also accused of importing ecstasy to the US. According to the Los Angeles Times, the US State Department has named Abergil one of the 40 biggest drug dealers in the country.
