White-collar crime
Suspected Bribery: Efi Naveh and Eitan Orenstein Investigation Completed, Police Claim an Evidentiary Basis
Suspected bribery in the Tel Aviv District Court president appointment: Lahav 433 ended the Naveh and Orenstein probe. No indictment, both presumed innocent.
In brief
- The National Fraud Investigation Unit at Lahav 433 completed on 28 October 2026 its investigation of attorney Efi Naveh, former chairman of the Israel Bar Association, and Eitan Orenstein, former president of the Tel Aviv District Court.
- According to the suspicion, Naveh worked to advance Orenstein's appointment as president of the Tel Aviv District Court, in return for the transfer of Judge Dalia Ganot from the torts department.
- According to the police, there is an "evidentiary basis for the commission of the offense". The investigation file was handed to the Tax and Economic Prosecution, which will decide whether to file an indictment.
- Status: investigation completed. No indictment has been filed, and both men are presumed innocent. Orenstein said there is no basis for any offense, and Naveh rejected the suspicions during his questioning.
What the police announced
According to Walla, the National Fraud Investigation Unit at Lahav 433 completed the investigation, which was supervised by the Tax and Economic Prosecution, and according to the police "there is an evidentiary basis for the commission of the offense" (Walla). ynet reported, citing police sources, that an evidentiary basis for filing an indictment had been established (ynet). Maariv noted that no decision on prosecution has been made at this stage (Maariv).
The police position is not an indictment. The decision whether to prosecute or close the case rests with the prosecution.
The suspicion: an appointment in return for a judge's transfer
According to the reports, the suspicion is that Naveh worked to advance Orenstein's appointment as president of the Tel Aviv District Court, in return for moving Judge Dalia Ganot from her post in the torts department of the Tel Aviv court (ynet, Maariv). Maariv described the suspicion as a "give and take" relationship around the appointment.
According to Walla, Orenstein retired from his post in 2020, after a transcript of correspondence between him and Naveh was published (Walla).
What the suspects said
According to Channel 13 News, Naveh argued during his questioning that the recordings played to him had been taken from his phone, that it had already been decided in the past not to charge him, and that the statute of limitations applies. He rejected the claims of a "give and take" relationship (Channel 13 News).
On behalf of Orenstein, it was said that he trusts the competent authorities at the prosecution and the Attorney General's office, and that in his view "there is no basis for any offense and the case should be closed" (Channel 13 News, Walla).
Why this matters when choosing a lawyer
The affair concerns a suspected improper relationship between a senior Bar Association figure and a judge, not a claim against clients. Even so, it is a reminder that choosing a lawyer for a sensitive case justifies a basic check: registration with the Bar, published disciplinary proceedings, conflicts of interest and judgments in which the lawyer was mentioned. Such a background check is carried out from public sources and in accordance with the law.
Sources: Walla, 28.10.2026, ynet, 28.10.2026, Maariv, 28.10.2026, Channel 13 News, 28.10.2026. The sources are in Hebrew.
Further reading: White-collar crime in Israel, Background check before a deal, and our due diligence and business intelligence service.
The information in this section is general and is not legal advice. This report is based on media reports. Efi Naveh and Eitan Orenstein have not been charged or convicted, and they are presumed innocent.
