Lieberman told he may face fraud charges pending hearing
Police recommended putting Foreign Minister on trial for alleged fraud, money laundering, and breach of trust a year and a half ago; prosecution is pushing for indictment, but Lieberman can choose to engage in hearing to stave off trial.
By Tomer Zarchin and Haaretz ServiceAttorney General Yehuda Weinstein informed Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday that he was considering indicting him on charges of fraud, money laundering, and breach of trust.
Lieberman will be granted the right to a hearing to try to prevent the indictment.
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Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. |
| Photo by: Daniel Bar-On |
If Lieberman chooses to engage in the hearing, he will not need to resign from the cabinet. However if Lieberman passes on a hearing in order to prevent exposing his line of defense during a trial, an indictment will be served against him which may bear serious consequences to his role in the cabinet.
Over the past several weeks, Weinstein has been refining the wording of the draft indictment, which was the subject of much debate among those composing the document.
The discussion between the State Prosecution and the Attorney General regarding Lieberman's case continued for more than a year and a half, since the head of the police investigations and intelligence division, Yoav Segalovich, recommended putting Lieberman on trial.
Segalovich recommended indicting Lieberman on charges of bribery, fraud, money laundering, breach of trust, witness harassment, and obstruction of justice.
Police believe that he received more than NIS 10 million in bribes from businessmen including Martin Schlaff and Michael Chernoy. The money was allegedly laundered via a series of shell companies and fictitious bank accounts overseas.
The police also recommended indicting Lieberman for breach of trust in the case of Israel's former ambassador to Belarus, Ze'ev Ben Aryeh, who showed Lieberman secret documents from the investigation against Lieberman.
During the discussions between the prosecution and the Attorney General, it seems that they have relinquished the bribery clause, however the exact wording of the draft indictment will only be known once Weinstein makes the announcement.
Even though the term "bribery" carries more serious meaning in the public arena, the punishment for money laundering is more serious than bribery, which could be up to a 10-year prison sentence as opposed to seven.
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So the Y'Israel Beitenu crowd can dig their collective grave a couple feet deeper Jew's can live anywhere they want in Israel, provided the land isn't already owned
by all right wing nut jobs.
Not exactly. Livni will not be PM so don't get your hopes up.
just joking about the temporary bit, ha ha ha !!
hate each other and hated by most justice loving people around the world Those two are going home which really the Jail they work hard to get there
The eliminating of Lieberman is well planned.Of course he is innocent but he is too honest for some people.
How can you possibly know? Of course, "it must be a plot from the liberal left to get rid of him......a right wing and ultra-nationalist politician like Lieberman could never engage in illicit or criminal behaviour" Mr American, you should know by now, that in general, the political class of most countries (USA and Israel included, as much as it may shock you) are filled by gutless, partisan, greedy, selfish and corrupt people, with very few exceptions. Those people are not in power, or vying for it, for a love of their community. They fought to get to the top because they would be able to steal from you and me with much more ease, behind a façade of respectability. They are no more than crooks-in-a-tie, serving their own interests, not ours. No one gets to the top by playing nice.
Avigdor Lieberman is a thug, he would be perfect as future prime minister.
I like your suggestion of him becoming a PM....