State: US offered Talansky partial immunity
Prosecutor's Office says US authorities offered key witness in Olmert fraud case limited immunity assuring him testimony against PM would not be used against him in pending money laundering case in US; but does not exclude records from future indictments
The US judicial authorities have decided to grant Morris Talansky, the key witness in the fraud case against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, partial immunity. Talansky's attorneys and the Israeli State Prosecutor have been notified of the decision.
In late August, Talansky informed the State Prosecutor's Office that according to his counsel's advise, he will not be returning to Israel for any additional cross examination in the case in order to avert self-incrimination in the case currently pending against him the in the US.
The US federal authorities are investigating Talansky for alleged money laundering and filing false tax reports.
A letter sent to the State Prosecutor's Office, suggested that the US prosecution informed Talansky that it is willing to offer him a deal under which his testimony in the Olmert case could not be used against him in the pending US case, but explicitly stipulated that it may indeed be used should any future investigation against him be launched, or new evidence uncovered.
The US prosecution also stated that it reserved the right to use any or all information deriving form his testimony in its proceedings against others involved in the US case.
According to US authorities, Talansky said he intends on arriving in Israel in order to complete his testimony. The statement promoted the State to ask Talansky's legal team to provide them with a date for his return. The lawyers' reply said that they would have to study the letter before rendering their decision.
Amir Dan, Olmert's communications director, said that "it seems that the Americans too have realized what we have already proven, that Talansky is an unreliable witness and that his story contradicts itself."
