Ehud Olmert
Photo: Noam Moskowitz
Olmert: Talansky case forced
Former prime minister says prosecution trying to 'artificially manufacture situations' linking him to 'cash envelopes' affair
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's testimony before the Jerusalem District Court continued Thursday, focusing again on the "cash envelopes" affairs.
The case entails allegations suggesting Olmert illegally received over $600,000 from American businessman Morris Talansky.
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Olmert denied – yet again – ever receiving any funds from Talansky during his visits to the United States.
"It simply never happened. This story has no beginning, no middle and no end. It's a fantasy," he said in regards to the American businessman's testimony in the case.
The prosecution presented a bank statement showing a $15,000 withdrawal made by Talansky on a date corresponding with a 2005 visit by Olmert to New York City; just ahead of a meeting between the two.
Talansky claimed in his testimony that he had given the money to Olmert, but the latter shrugged it off, saying the timeline presented by the prosecution – the length of time between the supposed withdrawal and the meeting – simply made it impossible.
"I never received a penny from Talansky. You are trying to artificially manufacture a situation," he admonished the prosecutor.
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