A 51-year-old West Bank resident was indicted for extortion, impersonating a fighter pilot and Mossad agent, and entering Israel illegally.
Kiryat Shmona Magistrate’s Court indicted a 51-year-old West Bank resident for extortion by threats, impersonation, including of a fighter pilot and Mossad agent, respectively, and entering Israel illegally, Israel Police reported on Sunday.
The indictment followed an investigation by Israel Police officers, who requested his detention until the end of proceedings.
Last month, a complaint was filed with the Israel Police by the victim regarding an attempted extortion and threats. The investigation revealed that the defendant, who entered Israel illegally and remained without legal permits, acted in a planned, systematic, and sophisticated manner to establish contact with the victim through social media, presenting false pretenses and concealing his true identity.
As part of the communication between the indicted suspect and victim, the defendant exploited the trust placed in him and impersonated a resident of northern Israel. Over the period, he portrayed himself as a Mossad agent, a security official operating in enemy territory, and as an Israel Air Force pilot, as well as other roles.
In order to support these false portrayals, the defendant used technology, including creating content using artificial intelligence, to establish the credibility of his false identity.
A criminal created AI videos impersonating an IAF fighter pilot, among other roles, published April 5, 2026. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
The investigation also revealed that the defendant recorded the victim on several occasions without their knowledge or consent, including during meetings between them, and spread this content to other parties, severely harming their privacy.
Suspect threatened to distribute secretly recorded videos of victim
Additionally, after recording the victim, the defendant began to threaten the victim that he would distribute the videos he possessed to other parties, and tried to extort them by applying pressure and making serious threats.
Included in this, he told the victim, “If you do not listen to me and do not obey me, I will kill you.”
Investigators used undercover methods to trace the defendant’s location, find him, and arrest him. His detention had been extended according to the needs of the investigation.