Singer Margalit Tzanani indicted for extortion, conspiracy

State prosecutors filed an indictment against singer Margalit Tzanani (Margol) on Monday, charging her with extortion and conspiracy to commit a crime. Tzanani is accused of extorting the proceeds of performances by singer Omer Adam from her manager, Assaf Atedgi. In the indictment, prosecutors described her as “the worst of criminals.”

Tzanani, who was arrested on Aug. 16, allegedly hired thugs from a criminal gang to issue threats against her manager. Atedgi was said to be unaware that Tzanani was behind the crime.

Michael Hazan, a man reputed to be crime boss Amir Mulner's right-hand man, was also indicted on Monday.

The indictment also cited involvement by Shalom Dumrani, the alleged head of a criminal organization operating in southern Israel. Dumrani was arrested last week over the case and was released to house arrest on Sunday. Dumrani's attorney said on Sunday that his detention was “unnecessary.”

The prosecution said that when singer Omer Adam was voted off the “A Star is Born” television show (the Israeli equivalent of “American Idol”), Tzanani identified his potential and forged a connection between the singer and her manager, Atedgi. When Adam accepted Atedgi as his manager, Tzanani and Atedgi allegedly agreed to divide the profits from Adam's singing career.

The police investigation against Tzanani reportedly revealed that Adam was unaware of the deal between Tzanani and Atedgi and had no knowledge of the dispute between them either. “When Tzanani realized she had given her agent a golden goose whose golden eggs would not be hers, she turned to criminals to help her obtain them,” a police investigator said.

According to investigators, Tzanani approached Michael Hazan, aware that he was reputed to be suspected crime boss Amir Mulner's close associate, asking him to threaten Atedgi and force him to give her the share of the profits she believed she was due. In addition, Atedgi was forced to provide dozens of free tickets to Adam's concerts in Caesarea, including expensive front row seats, as well as a cut of the proceeds from private performances by Adam.

The indictment says that Amir Mulner's henchmen and Shalom Dumrani saw Tzanani as a way to get a foot in the door of the Middle Eastern music industry as a solid income source worth millions.

Tzanani's attorneys, Shahar Hetzroni and Sassi Gaz, asked the court to continue the proceedings against Tzanani while she was under house arrest. However, her remand has been extended till Thursday while judges consider the extent of the danger she presents to society.

In an interview with Army Radio, Tzanani's mother said, “I don't believe any of it. She'll get out of this and it will all pass. She would never do such things. My heart is with her.”

　

　

　

　

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