Police question pop star Eyal Golan anew about underage sex claims
The police on Wednesday questioned singer Eyal Golan over nearly decade-old allegations of sex offenses against minors.
According to media reports, the interrogation was part of a reopening of the case following two new complaints filed against the Mizrahi pop sensation.
Sources quoted by the Ynet news site said that no “substantive evidence” had yet been obtained.
Golan — one of Israel’s most famous and successful entertainers — was interrogated by the police in 2014 on suspicion that he had engaged in sexual encounters with underage girls.
The Tel Aviv District Attorney’s Office later announced it would drop the charges due to lack of evidence. Golan denied the allegations.
In 2015, Golan’s father was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of soliciting minors for prostitution, among other offenses. He was charged with using his son’s fame as a well-known performer to take advantage of the girls, knowing that they suffered socioeconomic hardship and had a troubled home life.
“The false allegations against Eyal Golan were already thoroughly investigated years ago,” the singer’s production company said in response to Thursday’s police questioning. “Eyal Golan cooperated with authorities, appeared when requested, and provided everything he knew honestly and in detail.”
The statement concluded by claiming that “once again it will emerge that [Golan] did nothing wrong and the case will close.”
Separately, Golan was found guilty in 2014 of evading taxes and falsifying billing on income of NIS 2.6 million ($750,000). He had to pay a fine of NIS 75,000 ($20,000) and do four months of community service at an old-age home in Rishon Lezion.