Police recommends indictment of 36 suspects in Yisrael Beytenu corruption scandal
Former minister Misezhnikov and former deputy minister Kirschenbaum among public officials suspected of systematic organized abuse of state money for personal gain.
Police recommended on Wednesday to indict 36 suspects in a massive corruption scandal involving former tourism minister Stas Misezhnikov and former deputy interior minister Faina Kirschenbaum, both of Yisrael Beytenu.
The attorney general will now have to decide whether to charge the suspects with a long list of crimes including bribery, fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, falsifying documents and obstruction of justice.
Oolice investigated suspicions the public officials involved operated a systematic organized mechanism to transfer state funds to some agencies in return for various kinds of remuneration.
The case spanned over a year-long undercover investigation followed by eight months of open investigation, during which police seized tens of thousands of documents, made arrests, and questioned 480 people - including elected officials and senior civil servants - collecting over than 900 testimonies. Police also seized an estimated NIS 25 million worth of property and assets so far.
"The affair exposed severe and deep-rooted ethical offenses, conscious and twisted criminal conduct, and the exploitation of access to the public coffers by those holding senior positions in the civil service," said the head of the Israel Police Investigations and Intelligence Division, Maj.-Gen. Meni Yitzhaki.
The evidence gathered by the police will be submitted to officials in the Justice and Finance ministries, so that "systemic lessons relating to monetary conduct and the work process of institutions and officials can be learned and implemented, so as to better protect the public money," said Yitzhaki.
The findings of the investigation and the evidence collected point to a systematic and well-planned operation, run by former deputy minister Kirschenbaum and others, who worked together with her in the allocation of state funds to various entities.
The modus operandi of the alleged scheme was as follows: a certain organization received a budget plus a bonus amount, with the understanding that the extra funds would either be returned to those pulling the strings or paid as compensation for appointing associates to certain positions. Numerous organizations came to understand that they had to provide kickbacks in exchange for a budget.
Exposure of the scheme stopped the funds from being stolen from public coffers and prevented the transfer of funds for future projects. According to police. the pattern of activity exposed has similar characteristics to that of organized crime.
