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Israel indicts ex-FM on fraud and breach of trust
Source: Agencies |
December 31, 2012, Monday
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ISRAEL'S former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman was formally indicted yesterday on charges of breach of trust and fraud, allegations that could hurt his political future if he is convicted.
Lieberman resigned his Cabinet post earlier this month after he was informed of the pending charges, though he denies any wrongdoing and remains a member of parliament.
He is accused of trying to advance the career of a former diplomat after the envoy relayed information to him about a criminal investigation into his business dealings.
The ministry released the text of Lieberman's indictment on breach of trust and fraud charges two weeks ago in order to lift his diplomatic immunity. It added details to the indictment last Thursday after receiving testimony that suggested he was more deeply involved than previously known in trying to promote the diplomat. The actual charges, filed in a Jerusalem court yesterday, remained unchanged.
The diplomat, former ambassador to Belarus Zeev Ben-Aryeh, reached a plea bargain with the state in the case earlier this year.
The indictment did not address the main suspicions against Lieberman that had been the focus of a years-long investigation. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein ultimately decided that prosecutors did not have a strong enough case to charge Lieberman with illicitly receiving millions of dollars from businessmen and laundering the cash through straw companies in eastern Europe.
While he was charged with lesser offenses, Lieberman's political future could be compromised if the court that hears the case decides to convict him of a crime that carries what is known in Israeli law as "moral turpitude."
Lawmakers convicted of such crimes in Israel must resign immediately from parliament, then are barred from re-entering politics for seven years.
Lieberman resigned his Cabinet post earlier this month after he was informed of the pending charges, though he denies any wrongdoing and remains a member of parliament.
He is accused of trying to advance the career of a former diplomat after the envoy relayed information to him about a criminal investigation into his business dealings.
The ministry released the text of Lieberman's indictment on breach of trust and fraud charges two weeks ago in order to lift his diplomatic immunity. It added details to the indictment last Thursday after receiving testimony that suggested he was more deeply involved than previously known in trying to promote the diplomat. The actual charges, filed in a Jerusalem court yesterday, remained unchanged.
The diplomat, former ambassador to Belarus Zeev Ben-Aryeh, reached a plea bargain with the state in the case earlier this year.
The indictment did not address the main suspicions against Lieberman that had been the focus of a years-long investigation. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein ultimately decided that prosecutors did not have a strong enough case to charge Lieberman with illicitly receiving millions of dollars from businessmen and laundering the cash through straw companies in eastern Europe.
While he was charged with lesser offenses, Lieberman's political future could be compromised if the court that hears the case decides to convict him of a crime that carries what is known in Israeli law as "moral turpitude."
Lawmakers convicted of such crimes in Israel must resign immediately from parliament, then are barred from re-entering politics for seven years.
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