A Population and Immigration Authority worker was arrested Tuesday on the suspicion of receiving sexual bribes in exchange for residence permits.
The Israel Police National Economic Crime Unit arrested the suspect, who works with asylum seekers and migrant workers, at the tail end of a months-long investigation.
As part of the covert investigation, detectives documented a sexual encounter between the suspect and a foreign worker in his car.
Meanwhile, the police suspect the man ran a "side hustle" in which he also received sexual benefits from other foreign workers.
The suspect faces charges of taking bribes, fraudulently obtaining benefits and breach of trust. The foreign worker was also taken in for questioning on suspicion of bribing a public worker.
"We will continue to investigate and expose offenses of exploitation and harm targeting underprivileged populations,” the police said in a statement. “We will also work to reach wherever there is a suspicion of public corruption that harms the order of government and the residents of the country.”
The Population and Immigration Authority said: "We wish to clarify that this is a junior employee, and not a senior or a manager of any kind. The employee has been in disciplinary proceedings in the past and was treated in a disciplinary manner."