Inside the Case of Yaron Sankar: Israel's Most Complex Hitman Trial

Yaron Sankar was one of the most unusual hitmen in Israel's criminal history, known for pulling the trigger, crying at victims' graves, expressing remorse, and ultimately remaining silent in court. Sentenced to two consecutive life terms for a double murder at a hair salon in Hod HaSharon, his case remains a landmark in the state's fight against organized crime during the early 2000s. Miki Poren, a senior prosecutor from the Central District Attorney's Office who handled the complex case alongside attorneys Noah Boneh and Dr. Yaniv Vaki, recalls the unprecedented nature of the investigation and the intricate web of criminal plots orchestrated by the Ohana brothers.

The investigation revealed that Sankar, after escaping from prison, aligned himself with Hananya Ohana and his brothers Rafi and Moshe, carrying out a series of high-profile hits and assassination attempts. Among them were plots targeting underworld figures such as Shimon Zrihen, Shalom Durneri, Yaakov Alperon, and Yitzhak Abergil. In one striking instance involving a planned car bomb targeting Abergil, Sankar deliberately staged a car accident and backed out of the mission, claiming to police that he refused to proceed after seeing children near the site.

Despite his cooperation and extensive confessions during the investigation, Sankar ultimately chose to remain silent when called to testify in the trial against the Ohana brothers, holding up a handwritten sign in the courtroom. However, prosecutors successfully utilized his detailed pre-trial confessions and communication data to secure convictions. The Ohana brothers and Sankar were ultimately handed severe prison terms, marking a crucial turning point in dismantling major Israeli crime syndicates that terrorized city centers in 2002 and 2003.