Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli has been ordered to repay taxes totaling NIS 16 million ($4.5 million) in income that she reportedly concealed from the Israeli Tax Authority after allegedly lying for months about her primary place of residence.
She was also instructed to pay a further NIS 120,000 ($34,000) in court fees.
Refaeli's legal team claimed during the last hearing that during the period under question, between 2009 and 2010, that the model was permanently living abroad and that she should not have to pay income tax to Israel.
Referencing her former relationship with Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, her lawyers argued that the U.S. was her primary place of residence at the time.
Israeli tax laws require residents to pay taxes on income made outside of the country, whereas non-residents are only required to pay taxes on money made in Israel.
Residence is determined based on the number of days per year spent in Israel, as well as an assessment of where the "center of life" of an individual is based on property and vehicle ownership, family ties, and other considerations.
The supermodel had previously testified against the court in 2017 after receiving a huge bill from the Israel Tax Authority, which claimed she had hidden tens of millions of shekels during the year in question.
Refaeli was eventually determined to have been living in Tel Aviv in two luxury apartments rented under the names of her family members.
Unconvinced by her arguments and siding with the authorities, a Lod District Court judge rejected the claim and ruled instead that because Rafaeli was not considered as an official foreign resident under Israeli law, she must pay her tax bill.
In January of this year, the prosecution announced that the Hoodies model and owner of sunglasses chain Carolina Lemke would be tried for concealing almost NIS 23 million (some $6.4 million) in income.
The case began in December 2015 when Refaeli was summoned for questioning by tax authorities for failing to report "celebrity discounts" of NIS 1 million ($280,000). At the time, her attorney rejected the accusations.
Despite the looming indictment charges, Refaeli is still scheduled to host the 2019 Eurovision song contest in Tel Aviv set to be held May 14-18.
This article was originally published by i24NEWS. Read more at https://www.i24news.tv/en.
