Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has decided to indict Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri for taxation offenses, subject to a hearing. Deri, who is the leader of the Shas party, has already served a prison term after being convicted on bribery charges.
Mandelblit's decision comes five years after the current investigation of real estate transactions involving Deri began. The investigation end in November 2018 with a recommendation to the Attorney General by the police and the Tax Authority that Deri should be charged with fraud, breach of trust, tax offenses, and money laundering. The recommendation was adopted in August 2019 by then State Attorney Shai Nitzan. As mentioned, Mandelblit has decided to proceed only with the charges relating to taxation. He found that there was insufficient evidence to indict Deri on the other charges.
In a statement via Twitter Deri said, "After five difficult years of the investigation, I thank the Creator for the decision to cancel all the false charges against me, and I am convinced that at the hearing it will be decided to close the taxation file as well, after all the facts are presented to the Attorney General."
Aryeh Deri denies the charges against him, has not been convicted of any crime in this case, and is entitled to the presumption of imnocence.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 10, 2021
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