Supermodel Bar Refaeli Arrested Over Tax Evasion Charges In Israel

"Sports Illustrated" cover model Bar Refaeli has reportedly been arrested Wednesday on charges for tax evasion by the Israeli government, reports say.

According to a report by BBC, Bar Refaeli, one of the most well-known supermodels in the world, was arrested at her home after being suspected of lying about her income and residence to avoid paying taxes. She is also accused of failing to pay taxes on her Tel Aviv apartment. 

Non-resident Israelis are exempted from disclosing their income earned abroad.

The Tax Authority of Israel alleged Bar Refaeli to have claimed that she has been living outside of Israel so she could be exempted from paying her taxes. But investigation revealed that she has lived in apartments named after her mother and brother.

Israeli officials have also charged the supermodel on her failure to honestly disclose information about income she earned abroad from modeling. The charge includes non-disclosure of luxury perk items she received after her modeling services that are worth millions of dollars.

Bar Refaeli's mother, Zipora, was also accused with tax evasion charges by Israeli Tax Authority after they have allegedly reckoned her unreported income from outside Israel to have reached "dozens of millions of shekels."

According to a report by the New York Daily News, Israeli authorities have confiscated Bar Refaeli and her mother's passports and also prohibited the two from leaving the country for a total of 180 days unless they pay $64,000 bond.

Bar Refaeli is said to have married Israeli billionaire Adi Ezra in September. The supermodel, who was once romantically linked to Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, has denied the allegations.

Her lawyer, Giora Aderet, has released a statement rejecting the charges, saying, "There is no drama. In the end, this is just a civil dispute. No-one cheated anyone else. It will all clear up soon."

Refaeli spent several hours being questioned at the Tel Aviv offices of the Israel Tax Authority on Wednesday, according to Israeli media reports. On Thursday, however, a court agreed to release Refaeli after paying $193,000 bail.