Police reportedly issued an arrest warrant on Sunday for Israeli modeling agent Shai Avital, who represents some of the country’s top models, as part of an investigation against him in which he was charged with 26 sexual harassment cases .
Avital, who currently resides in Hungary, was ordered by Israeli authorities to immediately return to Israel where he would be taken into custody and questioned about the allegations, Hebrew media reported.
His lawyers had previously said he would come to Israel if summoned.
Police launched the criminal investigation into Avital in July after media reports said he had harassed several former clients and colleagues.
Twenty-six separate complaints are now said to have been filed against him.
The investigation, which is being led by the Tel Aviv Police District’s investigative wing, came after Channel 13 published evidence that Avital sent threatening messages to models, including complaints to the police ready to be dropped off, if they accused him of sexual abuse.
In an illustrative image, Israeli modeling agent Shai Avital (right) poses for a photo with models at a rooftop event in Tel Aviv, September 17, 2017 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
In leaked text messages, Avital appeared to brag about having ties to the police and he was unafraid of complaints against him.
According to documents released by the network, in 2009 Avital paid NIS 120,000 ($35,000) to model Israela Avtau after he sexually assaulted her in his office. The incident was apparently kept secret and Avital continued his career as an agent.
Sexual messages allegedly sent by Avital to a number of women, including minors, were also broadcast by the network.
A number of women also claimed that Avital exposed himself in front of them, including at least one instance that led them to have sex afterwards, which continued regularly, after Avital had promised that the apparent victim would be featured on a popular reality show.
Other women accused him of forcibly groping, kissing and licking their faces. The allegations date back two decades.
