Ten indicted for running gambling empire from prison

An organized criminal network allegedly operated for years from within Israel's Shita Prison, directing illegal gambling, loan sharking, and violent debt collection. Ten defendants, including inmate Asaf Buskila, have been indicted by the State Attorney's Office in the Nazareth District Court.

Prosecutors accuse the group, which operated in Migdal HaEmek and surrounding areas, of generating at least NIS 3 million over nearly four years. Buskila, allegedly the ringleader, maintained daily contact with members outside prison, issuing instructions and orchestrating intimidation tactics. Borrowers facing financial distress were reportedly threatened into repayment.

The indictment further alleges that Buskila, along with other defendants, rigged roulette games at a gambling apartment. A remotely controlled magnetic mechanism on the roulette table allegedly allowed them to manipulate outcomes for profit. In one disturbing incident, a debtor allegedly lured to the apartment was beaten and attacked by a dog after accumulating a NIS 100,000 debt.