The Rishon Lezion Magistrates Court is currently hearing an Israel Police request to extend the remand of six suspects, including members of Lev Leviev's family, on suspicion of smuggling diamonds to Israel. It is suspected that LLD, a company owned by Lev Leviev, smuggled diamonds worth NIS 300 million to Israel.
The police are asking the court to remand the suspects for nine days. The police say that six people involved are suspected of diamond smuggling, money laundering, offenses under the Customs Tax and Exemptions and Purchase Tax Ordinance, offenses under the Income Tax Ordinance, conspiracy to commit a crime, fraud, falsifying corporate documents, and other offenses.
Representing one of the suspects related to Lev Leviev arrested in the affair, Adv. Amit Hadad told the police representative, "It seems to me that you caught one too many fish in your net. You said in your statement at the beginning of the hearing that all of the suspects worked for LLD, except for one of them. You will confirm that my client did not work for the company at all during the past year.
The police representative answered, "True. He holds a percentage of the company's shares."
Hadad: "My client did not work in all of the relevant years - 2010-2018. You will confirm that he never received a salary or dividend from the company."
Police representative: "Not as far as I know."
Hadad: "There has been a rift between Lev Leviev and my client for 10 years already - they are not on speaking terms, they do not correspond, and they are on the verge of killing each other."
Police representative: "I became aware of this only today."
Hadad: "Not only is this no secret, but there is an arbitration taking place between the two. All this is known…. You will confirm that my client has had no business connection with his brother for the past 10 years."
Police representative: "Not to the best of my knowledge."
In answer to Hadad's question, the judge commented, "The evidence connecting Leviev's relative to the affair was presented to me."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 5, 2018
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