Business mogul Arcadi Gaydamak
צילום: עופר עמרם
Court: Enough evidence to indict Gaydamak
Sufficient evidence has been collected to file an indictment against Russian-Israeli business tycoon Arcadi Gaydamak, Tel Aviv District Court judge decides
Sufficient evidence has been collected to file an indictment against Russian-Israeli business tycoon Arcadi Gaydamak, Tel Aviv District Court Judge Uri Shoham ruled Sunday.
Shoham also agreed to the Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office request to temporarily confiscate $4.9 million of Gaydamak’s fortune as bail.
The Attorney’s Office has been laboring diligently for months to work up an indictment against Gaydamak, and their present court petition apparently proved that progress had been made.
In his decision, Judge Shoham wrote: “I seriously considered the confidential information presented to me, which summarized the testimonies and evidence collected in the affair.
“I reached the conclusion that there is sufficient evidence on which to base a criminal indictment according to Clause 3 of the law,” he declared.
Shoham clarified that his decision did not express any stance regarding whether Gaydamak should be charged or whether other judicial processes should be activated against him.
He noted that if no indictment was filed within 90 days, Gaydamak's money would be returned.
Interrogation
Last Sunday Gaydamak was cross-examined at the police’s National Fraud Unit in Bat Yam.
“I won’t let this persecution of me continue. I am strong enough to deal with it, and it’s my duty to defend myself as a citizen,” Gaydamak said at the police station.
The interrogation lasted roughly four hours. Gaydamak assessed that he was summoned for questioning due to a bogus letter sent to Russian Interpol, with the forged signature of the Justice Ministry's supervisor of international affairs.
“What wrong have I done? I am only trying to do things for the benefit of the Israeli citizens. I merely criticized the government and spoke my mind – this is the right of every citizen,” he said at the time.
