Former MK Hugi
Photo: Dudi Vaknin
Former Shas MK gets 2 years in prison
Former MK Hugi convicted of defrauding Education Ministry of NIS 2 million; Hugi fined and sentenced to two years in jail
A former Shas Knesset member was sentenced to two years in prison, a year and-a-half probation and a fine of NIS 12,000 (roughly $2,900) after being convicted of various fraud charges.
Former MK Ofer Hugi was sentenced by the Jerusalem Magistrates Court for offenses committed in the years '97-'99.
According to his verdict, which was delivered some two months ago, during his term as MK Hugi forged student attendance lists in order to increase the transportation budget for Shas' school chain.
Using this method he defrauded the Education Minister of NIS 2 million (about $470,000).
Hugi was also convicted of attempting to receive funding from government ministries for a technological college that does not exist.
The ruling stated that, "Based on the false documents provided by the defendant, the ministry channeled during the school year of 1999 a sum of NIS 1 million (about $240,000) to the foundations for the technological college."
