"The police investigation at Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1) has been hard for all of us. Recently, at the company's initiative, suspicions of irregularities of various kinds have been probed, including in its relations with suppliers in Israel," IAI CEO Yossi Weiss wrote in a special message to the company's 16,000 employees in Israel. The letter follows the "deep-rooted corruption" affair at the company being investigated by National Fraud Unit Lahav 433.
"At the instruction and with the backing of the board of directors, the company has consistently acted, and is acting, without favoritism to clarify and deal with the suspicions and with zero tolerance for unacceptable phenomena, while investing large resources in cooperation with various parties within and outside the company," Weiss added. "We aim to eliminate improper behavior that does not reflect the true face of the company. In pursuance of these inquiries, the company has communicated its findings to the authorized enforcement and audit authorities."
In the framework of the investigation, revealed in the middle of last week in the arrest of 13 company employees, including company director Brigadier General (res.) Amal Asad as well as a member of the workers' committee, suspicions of fraud, bribery, theft by company employees, and manipulation of tenders are being investigated. The connection between IAI and DruzNet from Isfya, which supplied IAI with services in the production of unmanned aerial vehicle parts, is also being probed.
In a letter to company employees distributed today, Weiss wrote, "When I learned of the investigation, I instructed all the relevant parties to fully and unconditionally cooperate as required with Israel Police, and to act in accordance with its instructions in order to act with severity towards any party that committed a crime, at any level and in any position, without prejudging anything about the investigation and its results."
Weiss also wrote, "These events are difficult and unpleasant for anyone for whom IAI is a home, but they are also a source of strength and an example of the way we have chosen to act - the way of honesty, work norms, morality, ethics, and uncompromising treatment of unacceptable phenomena of any kind whatsoever. IAI is a key element of Israel's security and economy, and as such a company, it has the duty to act in accordance with the highest standards of ethics and morals, and not to allow any deviations from them, or any improper behavior."
Weiss ended his letter by praising the employees of IAI, Israel's largest defense company, writing, "Thousands of dedicated, loyal, professional IAI workers are devoted to the company's good. I support all of you, and wish all of us days of prosperity and quiet."
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on March 19, 2017
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