Senior gov't official arrested in graft case

Israel Police Photo: Eyal Fisher
Israel Police Photo: Eyal Fisher

Israel Police detained 13 people and carried out searches this morning.

The national economic crime unit in the Israel Police Lahav 433 division began the overt stage of a bribery investigation involving public officials in Israel this morning.

Five suspects have been arrested and are being questioned under caution, and eight more have been detained on suspicion of involvement in crimes of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Among those arrested is a senior government official.

The investigation is being conducted by the Israel Police together with the Tel Aviv Customs and VAT Investigations Office and the Yahalom unit of the Israel Tax Authority, with the assistance of the Money Laundering Authority, and supervised by the economic department of the State Attorney's Office.

The senior official is alleged to have received, on several occasions, cash bribes and benefits in kind in return for promoting the interests of others in his official capacity. Searches have been carried out at the homes and offices of the suspects and hundreds of thousands of shekels in cash found at some of the homes have been seized. The suspects will be brought before the Rishon LeZion Magistrates Court this afternoon if extension of their remand is sought.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 13, 2018

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2018

Israel Police Photo: Eyal Fisher
Israel Police Photo: Eyal Fisher
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