State scores another conviction in Hirchson case
Former director-general of National Labor Federation signs plea bargain, admits to executive theft, fraud, breach of trust and money laundering
The Tel Aviv District Court on Wednesday convicted Yitzhak Russo, the former director-general of the National Labor Federation (NLF) for his part in the pending fraud case against former Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson.
The former finance minister was indicted on multiple counts of larceny, executive theft, fraud, breach of trust, illicitly obtaining funds, money laundering and falsifying corporate documents in April, for allegedly embezzling about NIS 4 million (over $1.2 million) during his tenure as head of the NLF, between 1998 and 2005.
Wednesday had Russo convicted of multiple counts of executive theft, fraud, breach of trust and money laundering, as part of a plea bargain he had struck with the State Prosecutor's Office.
Considered the a senior accessory in the Hirchson case, the State asked Russo be sentenced to 20 months in jail and be fined NIS 300,000 (about $77,340)
December saw the State enter another plea in the case, this time with Amatzia Boner, the former comptroller of the Nili Association.
The Tel Aviv District Court found Boner guilty of fraud and theft and sentenced him to 40 months in prison for his part in the Hirchson fraud case.
Prior to Boner's conviction, the State was able to convict two other senior NLF officials for their part in the case: Ovadia Cohen, former head of the NLF's financial division and Ronit Garti, a senior NLF accountant.
