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Photo: Motti Kimchi
Cohen at court
Photo: Motti Kimchi

Amnon Cohen is the former MK suspected of receiving bribes

The former Shas MK, who served in the Knesset for 16 years, is suspected of receiving bribes from a businessman during his time in office, including sexual favors. In return, he is suspected of promoting the businessman's interests.

Amnon Cohen, who served as a member of Knesset from Shas for 16 years, is the MK suspected of receiving bribes, fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering, it was cleared for publication on Thursday.

 

   

Cohen was questioned under caution on Wednesday on the suspicion he received bribes from a businessman—including sexual favors—in return for promoting his interests while the MK was in office.

 

During his questioning, Cohen was also confronted with the woman who supposedly provided him with sexual favors.

 

Amnon Cohen at court (Photo: Yariv Katz)
Amnon Cohen at court (Photo: Yariv Katz)

 

In an effort to clear his name, Cohen's lawyer shot back by presenting a letter supposedly written to him by businessman Daniel Molkandov, in which Cohen was ordered to pay Molkandov NIS 1.9 million, supposdely in an effort to extort him. 
  

The lawyer also claimed that his client was contacted by a man who introduced himself as Unit of International Crime Investigations commander Gadi Siso and demanded that the suspect pay the aforementioned NIS 1.9 million to Molkandov. After Cohen refused, his car was reportedly set on fire.

 

The first complaint about Cohen receiving bribes was brought to the police in January 2015 by the same businessman who claimed that he had in fact bribed Cohen while he was still in office.

 

The investigation opened against Cohen in 2015 has since been closed, but a new development in the investigation significantly established the suspicions against the MK.

 

A judge ruled on Wednesday that "There is reasonable evidence that links the suspect to the actions attributed to him" and that there were "discrepancies between the answers he gave and the materials in the case."

 

The Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court has extended Cohen's remand until Sunday.

 

Cohen's lawyers said in response to the allegations that "the suspicions against our client are no more than the recycling of old claims that have been thoroughly checked by the best of the Israel Police's investigators, closely accompanied by the prosecution. The same prosecution ordered the case closed and we are confident the case will be closed this time as well."

 

Amnon Cohen at court (Photo: Yariv Katz)
Amnon Cohen at court (Photo: Yariv Katz)

 

Amnon Cohen, 56, married and a father of four, served as the acting mayor of Ramla until he was placed in the Shas party list as a representative of Bukharan Jews.

 

He was first elected to the Knesset in the 1999 elections—the party's heyday—and served as an MK for six terms spanning over 16 years.

 

Despite being reelected every time, he was always viewed as an "outsider"—he was not affiliated with any particular camp within the party, worked independently, and steered clear of the media.

 

Nevertheless, he was careful not to clash with the party's spiritual and political leaderships and was therefore viewed as a "soloist" rather than a rebel.

 

Cohen during his time at the Knesset (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
Cohen during his time at the Knesset (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

 

He was a dominant MK, particularly in promoting legislation in the field of economics, but was never appointed minister. When he was offered to be a deputy minister, he preferred to chair a Knesset committee instead and served as the deputy Knesset speaker, and thechair of the Internal Affairs and Environment, Economic Affairs, and the State Control committees, as well as the chair of the Special Committee for Public Petitions.

 

Ahead of the 2015 elections, he announced that he was retiring from political life due to "familial reasons," likely in an effort to keep his connection with the businessman and the suspicions against him under wraps.

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.08.16, 16:04
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