U.S. indicts four Israelis in international bribery case
Defendants allegedly offered FBI agent posing as African envoy kickback in exchange for defense contracts.
By The Associated Press, Natasha Mozgovaya and Yossi Melman Tags: Israel newsThe United States Justice Department indicted four Israeli businessmen Tuesday for allegedly attempting to bribe the defense minister of an African country in order to secure a multimillion-dollar contract to supply his country with military equipment. 18 other businessmen were indicted in the same case.
The U.S. Department of Justice identified the Israelis as Ofer Paz, 50 - the president and chief executive officer of an Israeli company, Paz Logistics, that acts as sales agent for companies in the law enforcement and military products industries; Haim Geri, 50 - the president of a North Miami Beach, Fla., company that serves as a sales agent for companies in the law enforcement and military products industries; Yochanan R. Cohen, aka Yochi Cohen, 47 - the chief executive officer of a San Francisco company that manufactures security equipment, including body armor and ballistic plates; and Israel Wissler, former CEO of the company Ayit which sold equipment to the Israeli Defense Forces.
Twenty-one of the businessmen, including the Israelis, were arrested in Las Vegas on the eve of a major annual military equipment sales show, following a two-and-a-half-year FBI undercover sting operation.
The defendants allegedly agreed to pay a 20 percent commission to an undercover FBI agent who posed as the African minister.
The indictments allege conspiracy and substantive violations of the corrupt practices act and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
The charges relating to the corrupt practices act carry a maximum five-year prison sentence on conviction. The maximum sentence for money laundering conspiracy is 20 years.
The case is the largest single investigation and prosecution of individuals in the history of the 1977 U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars bribery of foreign government officials. It is also the first large-scale use of an undercover operation in enforcing the corrupt practices act.
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Mr. Blough, you should educate yourself as to what a "Sayanim" is before you say stupid things like you just did.
How long before Netanyahu threatens Obama so the Israelis are released?
in accordance with american LAW. they were NOT arrested in africa, greece, turkey, et al. so tell us, HOW is the fbi "stupid" for enforcing american laws in america? or are you suggesting they NOT be enforced in certain instances? if so, then WHO would determine those instances and what criteria would they use to do so?
is right unfortunately. In many countries no bribe means no deal.
The traitor Pollard was an American citizen who sold out his country, the fact that he was Jewish seems only important to Jews like yourself who think that because he was Jewish or that he was stealing US secrets for Israel should matter... It does not! He was a traitor who will rot in jail for the rest of his life, so get use to it!
For me, Pollard betrayed America. These people didn't give secrets away. They were trying to make money. It wasn't really an honest way, but this seems to be a case of entrapment. They were basically set up. They weren't spying and what not. I am not a legal expert, but I am not sure how useful these arrests were. What do they accomplish? The FBI agent wasn't a real African minister. He was used to set these guys up. Big deal.
you just call us self-hating jews. anti-semitic is always your answer for everything, no matter how legitimate your opposition's argument is, and how flawed yours is. the only time you ppl ever cry anti-semitic to an argument is one you know you have nothing to back up with. because when you do, you never call ppl anti-semitic, you use facts to prove your point. pollard broke US law, he was prosecuted for it. i suppose its anti-semitic not to have laws that exempt only jews from being charged for criminal offences they've purpetrated. all other ppl have laws that exempt them from criminal prosecutions, why shouldnt jews? *sarcasm* cos thats what you basically want, which to you would show ppl are not anti-semitic.
What we should give jews and Isarelis a free pass in america and let them get away with anything??
I'm a businessman. To do business in Africa, Greece, Turkey, the Arab world, the Far East and other places, one has to bribe people to get things done. It's expected/demanded, when their baksheesh doesn't come, it is taken as an insult, and the business stops cold. This is not a value judgment. It's a fact of life. Americans who do business know this just like anyone else, and that's how they close the deal. The FBI is stupid, hurting American business and interests for nothing.
When cases like this clearly implicate higher up people, you have to ask yourself why the FBI does not go after the higher ups. They caught an ex secret service agent, but ignore those who may have sent him (general Shelton?).