Last update - 00:00 28/01/2007
Electric Corp. suspected of offering to clear women's debts for sex
By Mijal Grinberg, Haaretz Correspondent
A top Israel Electric Corporation official was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of sexually extorting female customers in exchange for clearing their debts.
The suspect will be brought for an extension of his remand Monday at the Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court.
The affair was exposed after several women complained to Israel Electric of alleged sexual harassment by an official of the company.
After hearing the complaints, the company's violence prevention committee suspected criminal activity and handed the material over to the police.
The official, a 50-year-old Be'er Sheva man, serves as the head of the consumer department of Israel Electric's southern division, and is responsible for dealing with customers' debts.
According to a police investigation, the official allegedly focused his harassment on single mothers who had incurred heavy debts with the company.
The suspect allegedly called the women at their homes using the company's database and invited them to meet with him, after they were told by the company that their power would be turned off due to their large debts.
According to the allegations, the official would touch the women during these alleged meetings. The official is suspected of shutting off electricity in the homes of the women who refused advances.
Three women complained to the company of similar harassment and four other female co-workers said the official had sexually harassed them.
The suspect has denied all charges against him.