Lahav 433
Photo: Avi Moalem
Police postpone questioning of MKs snagged in corruption probe
Large trove of information pointing to involvement of four parliamentarians in embezzlement of public funds leads investigators to delay interrogating MKs until after elections.
Four members of Knesset will be called in for investigation after the elections in March, Ynet was told on Sunday. Police received information which raised allegations that the four transferred public funds to close associates but – because of the proximity to the elections – decided to delay their interrogation.
The decision on the investigation was received after consultation with officials from the Justice Ministry. The MKs to be investigated in the affair are not from Yisrael Beytenu, which has been the center of a separate corruption probe.
Knesset plenum (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
The public corruption scandal was revealed more than a month ago, with the arrest of senior public sector officials and the investigation of MK Faina Kirschenbaum (Yisrael Beytenu). To date, the police has spoken with MKs Boaz Toporovsky from Yesh Atid and Shimon Ohayon from Yisrael Beytenu.
Senior employees in the public sector were arrested on the allegation of receiving public funds whether through Kirschenbaum or other bodies, and in return passing those funds to close associates, public employees, and others.
As the investigation proceeded, the national anti-fraud unit continued to receive information regarding the affair. Recent evidence collected pointed towards the connection of four MKs from major parties, who were allegedly involved in embezzling public funds.
Similar to the Kirschenbaum affair, the investigation against the four MKs raised suspicion of massive money transfers for a variety of jobs. The large trove of information collected by the investigators demands calling the suspects in for questioning, but the police has decided to wait with the summons, as the inquiry will not end for several weeks.
At the beginning of January, police investigators found some two million shekels in a bank account connected to Kirschenbaum, raising the total funds police discovered in her accounts to 4 million.
The police said they do not provide details of ongoing investigation. "We must note that in this investigation – as in every investigation – the police is operating professionally, with consideration, and with the involvement of the attorney general and other officials in the prosecutor's office."
