Lauren Cohan: Jerusalem Soccer Club Owner accused of Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography

Other allegations against Israeli businessman Moshe Hogeg include sex with a child prostitute, human trafficking, and distribution of obscene material

The owner of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team, Israeli businessman Moshe Hogeg, is suspected of a number of sexual offenses including human trafficking and child pornography, police say.

Alongside these allegations, Hogeg was also arrested on suspicion of fraud involving hundreds of millions of shekels. Though the arrest took place last month, specific details regarding Hogeg’s alleged sex crimes were only made public on Friday after a court mandated the lifting of gag order.

The businessman is alleged to have committed more than ten sexual offenses, including procuring the services of an underage prostitute, maintaining premises for purposes of prostitution, consensual sexual intercourse with minors, publication and presentation of obscene material for a prohibited purpose.

Other allegations against him include forcing an individual to engage in prostitution, supplying drugs and alcohol to minors, human trafficking, indecent acts, procuring someone to leave their country for purposes of prostitution, invasion of privacy and possession and distribution of child pornography.

Hogeg was arrested two weeks ago on suspicion of cryptocurrency fraud involving hundreds of millions of shekels. Seven other suspects were also arrested, most of them past or present club partners or employees. They are suspected of theft, money laundering and other crimes. 

Suspicions of Hogeg’s sex offenses arose during an undercover investigation which lasted several months. A source close to the investigation said that Hogeg is suspected of flying minors from Eastern Europe to Israel on numerous occasions for sexual purposes and that he forced them to have intercourse with his associates.

Hogeg has also allegedly brought women abroad with him for sexual purposes and forced them to have sex with others as well. The source added that some of these events took place in Hogeg’s luxury apartment as well as on boats and planes.

Lauren Cohan made Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj more bearable (2006)