The Jerusalem Post

Largest pedophile case in Israel’s history revealed

- • By SARAH LEVI

In the largest pedophile case in Israel’s history, Beno Reinhorn was arrested last week under suspicion of committing a series of sexual offenses against at least 140 minors.

Reinhorn is accused of offenses that include rape, sexual assault, sodomy, indecent exposure, online assault and more.

Reinhorn allegedly lured his victims through various social media platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp using a number of disguises including an agent at a modeling agency, a TV and movie producer and bathing suit designer.

Reinhorn would exploit young girls’ innocence and convinced them to send him revealing, and at times, nude photograph­s of themselves.

Reinhorn had systematic­ally used this technique on his victims for years, while ensuring that his victims would keep their correspond­ence on social media a secret from their parents and friends.

When parents, other family members or friends of the victims would confront Reinhorn, he would immediatel­y end the correspond­ence and block that person and the victim involved from contacting him again.

Reinhorn, 35, lives in Herzliya with his wife and two children. He is a handball coach and is employed by the Herzliya Municipali­ty.

His wife, Moran Menda Reinhorn, maintains he is innocent.

The Israel Police have been investigat­ing the case for several months using a variety of surveillan­ce techniques that connected the 140-plus victims to the suspect.

According to Israel media, the oldest case the police found was from 2008 and they suspect that there could potentiall­y be several hundred cases that have gone unreported. As a result, they have asked the public to come forward if they have any informatio­n about this case.

Police collaborat­ed with the Lahav 433 National Crime Unit and the cyber department of the State Attorney’s Office. They also worked with social welfare specialist­s who aided the victims.

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