Criminal9/29/2026

Rico Shirazi to Be Released After Nearly Ten Years in Prison

Rico Shirazi is expected to be released on October 3, 2026, after nearly ten years in prison. According to Maariv, the Israel Prison Service may move the release forward to Thursday–Friday night to reduce public exposure surrounding the event and the risk of a possible attack.

Key facts

•Official release date: October 3, 2026
•Court: Tel Aviv District Court
•December 2015 sentence: eight years and a fine of one million shekels
•Case 512: nine years in prison
•A substantial portion of the prison terms was served concurrently

What He Served His Sentence For

In December 2015, the Tel Aviv District Court sentenced Shirazi to eight years in prison and imposed a fine of one million shekels in a case involving fictitious invoices and the concealment of tens of millions of shekels in revenue. The acts attributed to him included tax offenses and money laundering.

The Sentence in Case 512

Later, as part of a plea bargain in Case 512, Shirazi was convicted of aiding in causing the death of Guy Yehezkel in Germany in 2003 and of conspiring to attempt to assassinate Asi Abutbul in Prague in 2004. He was sentenced to nine years in prison in this case, but it was decided that a substantial portion of the sentence would be served concurrently with the sentence imposed on him in the economic case.

Why the Release Is Attracting Attention

During his imprisonment, Shirazi was considered a significant intelligence target for the police’s Central District and Lahav 433 units. After the killing of his son, Shai Shirazi, he was held in isolation for years: materials submitted to the court referred to an assessment of the level of danger he posed and conflicts linked to him. The state argued that these conflicts had not disappeared and that intelligence justified the restrictions, while his attorney disputed how current that assessment was.

What Is Known About the Potential Risks

Maariv sources estimate that the release could affect the balance of power in Netanya’s criminal underworld. However, the publication contains no information about a concrete plan by Shirazi to return to criminal activity or carry out revenge; claims of this kind are explicitly presented as the sources’ assessments. The article does not state that a new and separate judicial decision was issued regarding the release: rather, the matter concerns the completion of the prison term and the possibility that the Israel Prison Service may change the actual release time.

What this means for you

The completion of the imposed prison term means the prisoner will be released, even if the police or prison authorities continue to assess the risks associated with him. The Israel Prison Service may arrange the actual release in a way that reduces public exposure and security threats, but the material presented does not indicate that new restrictions will be imposed after the release. The concerns expressed by the sources are not, in themselves, facts established by the court.

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