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Abraham Hirchson
Photo: Yossi Ben David

Hirchson says received money legally

Former finance minister says in response to indictment filed against him that he was not responsible for embezzlement in National Workers' Organization

Former Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson said Sunday that the funds he received from the National Workers' Organization (NWO) were given to him legally, as he did not receive the full amount of his retirement fee.

 

Hirchson denied all the allegations against him, claiming that he was being framed in the alleged embezzlement in the NWO. According to the former minister, he had reached an agreement with the organization which stated that he would receive NIS 25,000 (about $7,030) a month as well as a holiday gift, and that this would all be documented in order to prevent "slander."

 

Hirchson went on to claim that as an active chairman in the NWO, he was legally entitled to a salary, excluding the ethical prohibition imposed on Knesset members. He added that he did not make these claims during his police interrogation because he feared that his name would be linked to the embezzlement affair.

 

The former minister told the Tel Aviv District Court, "I knew they were trying to tie me to the embezzlement affair, and today there is solid evidence proving this in the investigation material.

 

Hirchson's lawyer, Attorney Yaakov Weinrot, said that the indictment binds two separate affairs, adding that the former minister did not steal the money he received every month, and that these funds were given to him for his work and at the expense of his retirement terms.

 

According to the lawyer, Hirchson served in a series of positions in the NWO since the early 1970s until he reached the role of chairman.

 

"Under these circumstances and despite the fact that workers as senior and as veteran as Hirchson usually received a retirement package which includes increased compensation and different benefits, Hirchson did not receive this and only got minimal compensation," Weinrot claimed.

 

According to the attorney, Hirchson resigned from his post after being elected to the 14th Knesset, and due to his friendly relations with other senior NWO officials, the retirement terms he was entitled to were not formally finalized and it was clear to everyone that the issue would be determined in the future.

 

'There may have been an ethical flaw'

Hirchson went on to claim that all senior NWO members had convinced him not to utilize all his retirement rights, as should he retire from politics and return to the position of NWO chairman, he would be able to receive all the conditions.

 

Therefore, the former minister said, he was offered to accept a monthly payment in cash which would be defined and registered as a loan at the expense of his retirement terms, until the final payment is made.

 

Hirchson claimed that his conduct was nothing more than an ethical flaw and that there were no criminal elements in his behavior. The indictment, he said, was tied to another affair which had nothing to do with him, related to an alleged embezzlement in the NWO committed by a different group of people.

 

According to the former minister, the indictment may cause people to believe that he was somehow involved in the embezzlement, but he did not know anything about it.

 

He went on to claim that despite his appeals to the NWO, a final calculation of his retirement conditions has yet to be conducted, and should it be discovered that he owes any money, he would settle the account.

 

According to the indictment, Hirchson committed multiple offenses of theft, aggravated fraud, breach of trust, fraudulently obtaining funds, money laundering and falsifying corporate documents.

 

The State was able to press charges against the former minister after he relinquished his parliamentary immunity, opting to stand trial.Hirchson pled not guilty on all counts.

 

Hirchson is suspected of embezzling a little over NIS 4 million (over $1.2 million) during his tenure as head of the NWO, between 1998 and 2005. The State further claimed he pocketed about half of the funds.

 

The indictment further said that Hirchson and 11 other accomplices conspired to pilfer federation funds, cashing various checks and transferring some of the funds to Hirchson personally.

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.17.08, 13:35
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