A former Israeli intelligence official is asking a court to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to turn over records of foreign bank accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, and overseas property as part of his defense against a $150,000 defamation lawsuit filed by the prime minister.
But is it really possible to access such information, especially in the supposedly anonymous cryptocurrency market? Experts who spoke with FinanceMagnates.com say yes.
Can Tax Authorities Really Track Netanyahu's Crypto
Dr. Udi Levi, who spent three decades with the Mossad, the National Security Council, and military intelligence, filed the legal response this week, calling Netanyahu's suit a tactic to shut down public questions about possible financial ties to Qatar. The court filing asks for records of foreign bank accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, and overseas property owned by Netanyahu and his family.
In his court filing, Levi said he's received reports of witnesses who claim to have seen cash deliveries to the Netanyahu family, both inside Israel and abroad. He said those accounts included allegations of foreign bank accounts, digital wallets, and real estate purchases made with money that was never declared.
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Levi wants the court to compel Netanyahu to produce verified bank statements, cryptocurrency records, and property purchase documents for himself and his family members.
The demands arrive at a moment when tracking crypto has become far more realistic than most people assume. Isaac Joshua, CEO of Gems Launchpad, said once funds pass through centralized exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or OKX, analytics tools such as Chainalysis and TRM Labs can connect blockchain activity to verified identities.
“The offshore privacy era is ending,” Joshua said. “Israeli holders should expect greater scrutiny and may consider voluntary disclosure before global data-sharing becomes fully automatic.”
Israel has committed to adopting the OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, known as CARF, which will create a standardized system for collecting and exchanging data on cryptocurrency transactions between countries. Through OECD information-sharing frameworks and CARF, more than 50 countries will automatically exchange crypto account data from regulated exchanges starting in 2027.
There is still a long way to go before that happens. For now, from a procedural or political standpoint, it may be considered impossible. However, current technological solutions suggest otherwise.
Blockchain Leaves Permanent Trail
The technical reality of crypto tracking has shifted dramatically in recent years. Matthew Stern, CEO of CNC Intelligence, explained to FinanceMagnates.com that the blockchain is an immutable ledger, which means even if it takes authorities time to catch up, the trail doesn't disappear.
“Wallets can often be tied back to real identities,” Stern said. Analytics tools have become far more advanced, some even tracking cash-for-crypto schemes. “With governments and private players teaming up against money laundering and terror financing, Israeli traders should expect their overseas accounts to be within reach of tax authorities.”
Levi wants the court to compel Netanyahu to produce verified bank statements, cryptocurrency records, and property purchase documents for himself and his family members. He also requested information on political campaign funding received by Netanyahu and his parties in the 2012 and 2018 elections.
Stern’s view is echoed by Nathan Bekerman, Head of Product at Station70. Even if the funds were held in self-custodian wallets and not directly linked to any identity, “most blockchains are actually highly transparent, not private,” he said.
“Every transaction is recorded on a public ledger, which means with the right analytics tools, tracing funds is often easier than hiding them,” Bekerman added
Qatar Bribery Probe Continues
The demands come as Israeli law enforcement continues to investigate what's been called “Qatargate,” a scandal in which close aides to Netanyahu are accused of taking money from Qatar to promote Doha's interests in Israeli media.
Two of Netanyahu's top advisers were arrested in connection with the probe, and court documents suggest they're suspected of accepting bribes and coordinating messages to journalists that portrayed Qatar favorably while downplaying Egypt's role in ceasefire negotiations.
Netanyahu denied all of the allegations through his attorney Uriel Nizri, who called Levi's comments “sick and insane” and accused political opponents of spreading lies to bring down a sitting prime minister during wartime. The prime minister claimed Levi used his security background to give false legitimacy to what he called baseless conspiracy theories.
Levi argued that Netanyahu, as a public figure, isn't immune from public scrutiny, particularly when there are credible questions about financial conduct. The former intelligence official said the radio interview was a good-faith call for transparency, not libel.
This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.
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