UK charity supporting IDF veterans hit by £1 million transaction fraud
Beit Halochem UK has informed backers of the 'devastating' news, which is being investigated by police
The UK charitable affiliate of an organisation supporting wounded and disabled IDF veterans has contacted its donors today, informing them that it has been the victim of significant transaction fraud.
Senior representatives of the Beit Halochem UK charity wrote to supporters, describing themselves as “devastated” by the “deeply distressing incident”, and referring to the perpetrator as “a third-party foreign exchange company that we had worked with reliably for over three years.”
In the letter, the organisation’s chairman, Andrew Wolfson, and chief executive Spencer Gelding, confirmed that the incident had been reported to the authorities and that a formal police investigation was now underway. They added that while they were limited in what further information they could provide due to the nature of ongoing inquiries, they believed that at least two other organisations had been targeted by the same perpetrators.
The Jewish News understands that the amount stolen from the charity was in the region of £1 million.
The letter from Wolfson and Gelding went on to state that “the amount involved in this fraud represents less than 10% of the total funds we have raised since October 7th 2023, and pertains to a single transaction transferring funds from the UK to Israel. Importantly, we have already taken steps to ensure this cannot happen again. New financial controls and oversight measures are now in place to strengthen our protection against such risks in future.
“Our mission, to support brave IDF veterans and victims of terror, is more vital than ever. We will not allow this criminal act to derail the work we do or the impact we strive to make.”
Beit Halochem, which translates as “House of Warriors”, was established in 1949, to help support veterans of Israel’s War of Independence. Today it operates state-of-the-art rehabilitation sites in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem and Beer Sheva, with a brand new centre in Ashdod opening last month. The venues provide 62,500 veterans with physical, psychological and occupational therapy, helping them to rebuild their lives in the wake of injury and trauma. Last month, a group of 32 veterans and support staff visited the UK.
Commenting on the letter, Andrew Wolfson said: “Over the past 19 months, our supporters have shown extraordinary generosity, helping us care for the additional 14,000 heroes wounded while defending Israel against the relentless terrorist onslaught on multiple fronts. Many of these injuries will affect them and their families for decades to come.
“Beit Halochem remains steadfast in its commitment to support them, not just during times of war, but long into the future.
“This act of fraud will not deter us. It only deepens our resolve to stand by those who rely on our vital mission.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Service said: “On Friday, 21 March we received a report from a charity in relation to the alleged misappropriation of their funds.
“Our fraud investigation is in its early stages, and is being led by Economic Crime team officers. Enquiries are ongoing.”
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