'Number one criminal in Israel' receives 3 life sentences plus 15 years

Yitzhak Abergil was found guilty of three murders, multiple drug offenses and numerous other crimes in Israel's largest criminal trial.

 Yitzhak Abergil, of the Abergil crime family, arrives at the Tel Aviv District Court on February 5, 2017, as part of Case 512, targeting members of Israel's biggest criminal organization and its affiliate organizations.  (photo credit: FLASH90)
Yitzhak Abergil, of the Abergil crime family, arrives at the Tel Aviv District Court on February 5, 2017, as part of Case 512, targeting members of Israel's biggest criminal organization and its affiliate organizations.
(photo credit: FLASH90)

Yitzhak Abergil, convicted of leading a criminal organization, was sentenced on Tuesday morning to three life sentences and another 15 years in prison as part of Case 512, the largest criminal trial in Israel’s history, Israeli media reported.

Abergil was found guilty of three murders, multiple drug offenses and numerous other crimes. In addition, he was ordered to pay NIS 115,000 to the families of those murdered.

According to Ynet, Abergil is considered “the number-one criminal in Israel.” Avi Rohan, Abergil’s partner, was sentenced to 25 years and was also ordered to compensate the murder victims, N12 reported.

Meir Abergil of the Abergil crime family, seen in the District Court in Tel Aviv on July 18, 2018, to hear his verdict as part of case 512. (credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)
Meir Abergil of the Abergil crime family, seen in the District Court in Tel Aviv on July 18, 2018, to hear his verdict as part of case 512. (credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)

The family

The Abergil crime family has been active around the world and is considered to be one of Israel’s most infamous and powerful criminal families. They have long been associated with numerous crimes and at one point were among the top 40 biggest drug importers to the US.

Yitzhak’s brother, fellow crime family leader Meir Abergil, was released from prison in 2021 after being convicted in Case 512 in 2018. Case 512 covered a global drug trafficking, money-laundering and tax-evasion network run by the Abergil family when it was leading the Israeli underworld, primarily from 2002 to 2006.

At least seven other defendants are expected to be sentenced in the case, according to Ynet.