Bar Refaeli, one of the world’s most famous supermodels, has been questioned for 12 hours by Israel’s authorities over allegations she evaded paying large sums in tax.
With an estimated net worth of $20m (£13.4m), the 30-year-old model and her mother are allegedly suspected of failing to report discounts on luxury goods and other perks that should have been subject to income tax.
The revelation that Refaeli was the internationally known model under investigation had been one of the worst-kept secrets in Israel after it was reported that an individual had been questioned but their identity was being suppressed under a gagging order.
Israeli media had dropped strong hints over the last 24 hours as to the model’s identity, mentioning she had attended the interview with her wealthy businessman husband. Refaeli, the former girlfriend of actor Leonardo DiCaprio, married the Israeli billionaire Adi Ezra in a high-profile ceremony near Haifa earlier this year.
Among the allegations are that Refaeli did not pay rent for her apartment in Tel Aviv, paid an interior designer for his services by doing publicity for his business, and received a car from a company in return for publicity, none of which were declared.
At a hearing at Tel Aviv magistrates court on Thursday, the model was told she would only be allowed to leave Israel with the authorities’ approval and after providing a $65,000 bond.
Refaeli’s lawyers have rejected the allegations. “This is a taxation issue that raises the discussion of who is considered a resident of Israel,” Giora Aderet said. Refaeli has long argued with Israeli authorities about her resident tax status.
According to tax officials, Refaeli tried to hide the fact she was a resident of Israel by living in an apartment rented by her family.
The model, who started in the business when she was 11, was propelled to fame when she appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimwear edition in 2009 and in recent weeks has featured in the latest Agent Provocateur lingerie catalogue.
