Senior Local Official Investigated in Major Bribery Scandal
Translated & summarized from JDN by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Senior local official detained in bribery probe involving insurance agent Ezra Gabay.
- Investigation spans General Histadrut, local authorities, and government bodies.
- Tens of millions of shekels seized from Menora Mivtachim insurance company.
- Minister Miki Zohar is also under investigation for vote-buying allegations.
- The case involves directing insurance cases for illicit benefits and influence peddling.
Investigators from the National Fraud Unit of Lahav 433 raided the home and office of a senior official in a central Israeli municipality on Tuesday, detaining him for questioning. He is suspected of involvement in a bribery scheme with insurance agent Ezra Gabay. This action is part of a significant development in a case that has been under secret investigation for two years, involving raids on key locations within the General Histadrut labor federation, local authorities, and other government bodies.
Investigators suspect an organized mechanism was in place where employees and insurance cases were directed to Gabay's agency in exchange for illicit benefits. There are also serious suspicions of improper influence on the appointment of directors by employee committees. The scope of the affair is described as exceptional, encompassing numerous investigative avenues, hundreds of testimonies, and the seizure of extensive documents and digital materials.
The complex investigation has expanded over time to include additional sectors, such as the insurance company Menora Mivtachim. Senior officials there were questioned under caution, and tens of millions of shekels were seized from company accounts and personal accounts of managers. This is related to suspicions of promoting policies in exchange for payments and benefits to Gabay.
Investigative arms have also reached the political echelon, with Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar being investigated on suspicion of aiding in securing insurance cases for the agent in return for mobilizing votes in primaries. Police investigators are now focusing their efforts on examining the nature of the local official's connections and gathering further evidence to strengthen the case.
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