4 indicted for sex trafficking, pandering
Two Bat Yam residents charged with bringing Ukrainian women to Israel to work in prostitution; two others indicted for running brothels
Three men and a woman were indicted Monday at the Tel Aviv District Court for various sex trafficking and pandering changes.
According to the prosecution, Oleg Zaberski, 35, and his accomplice, Olga Fisher, 29, both Bat Yam residents, brought Ukrainian women to Israel to work in prostitution. Zaberski promised the women through a mediator they could keep half of what they earned for having sex with clients, and instructed them to tell the immigration authorities that they are visiting a relative – Fisher, who would pick them up at the airport.
Related articles:
- Human trafficking report ranks Israel with 3rd world nations
Magazine: Hiding in the shadows
Column: A clean, well-lighted brothel
The women were then forced to see eight or nine clients a day; when one refused to have sex with a customer, Zaberski fined her and made her have intercourse with the man, who injured her.
The complainants have since left Israel.
'Indictment is groundless'
Zaberski's charges include human trafficking, assault and pandering. Fisher is being indicted for aiding and abetting human trafficking and related charges.
"Prima facie, the indictment clearly indicates that my client had nothing to do with sex trafficking, and she has no ties to the scheme described in the indictment," Fisher's lawyer, Eyal Ohayon said. "Her role is confined to the innocent act of picking up one of the women from the airport."
Attorneys Shahar Hetzroni and Tamir Sananes, who represent Zaberski, said in response: "The indictment appears groundless, and the defendant denies all the charges."
Meanwhile charges were pressed against Yaakov Malka, 36, an Eilat resident and Vachislav Magnizer, 40, of Rishon Letzion, for running brothels in Tel Aviv. The two allegedly employed Israeli and foreign nationals as prostitutes. After incurring heavy gambling debts, the two decided to expand the operation and traffic a large number of women from Ukraine to Israel.
They are being indicted for conspiring to commit sex trafficking and pandering violations, among other charges.
- Receive Ynetnews updates
directly to your desktop
