Convicted millionaire nabbed in Paraguay
Russian-Israeli businessman Gregory Lerner escapes Israel using a fake passport, evidently to avoid serving a 6-year sentence for fraud, forgery and money laundering; Police to demand his extradition
Russian-Israeli millionaire Gregory Lerner was arrested in Paraguay for allegedly holding a fake passport which he evidently used to escape from Israel. The businessman was convicted of fraud, forgery and money laundering in late February after pleading guilty to all charges, but his sentence is not due until May.
Police have already said they would ask Paraguayan authorities to extradite Lerner.
During his interrogation last year, Lerner refused to speak to police and maintained his right to silence, but finally confessed in court to defrauding two businessmen out of NIS 2 million (about USD 450 thousand,) by pretending he was the owner of several local and foreign companies engaged in marketing and importing gas and petrol products to Israel.
The two investors paid Lerner the two million, only to discover later their new partner has a criminal record for fraud and forgery, and that he did not own any gas or oil firms.
Prison term delayed
He also confessed to defrauding three Russian banks of tens of millions of dollars and of attempting to bribe senior politicians, including Shimon Peres, in an effort to establish a bank in Israel.
Lerner was sentenced to six years plus NIS 5 million in fines, but the prison term was delayed until May 2006 to allow Lerner complete previous obligations, including paying fine. Until his confession, the case raised fury among the Russian immigrant community, which saw him as a victim of the Israeli system.
Lerner, 54, immigrated to Israel with his family in 1990. In May 1997, he was arrested at the Ben Gurion airport on suspicion of association with organized crime families and was charged with serious offenses, including commissioning murder and attempted murder.
Lerner has also been linked to Shoni Gavrieli, father of former MK Inbal Gavrieli, when Gavrieli allegedly arrived at Lerner’s offices in Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Towers with a bomb in his car. According to police, the bomb fell from the car in the parking lot and the man was miraculously not injured.
