Kfar Saba Mayor, Wife Accused of Bribe Scheme; Cash Found at Relatives' Homes
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
An extensive corruption investigation in Kfar Saba has uncovered a bribery scheme allegedly run by Mayor Rafi Saar and his wife, Meital, involving preferential treatment in municipal tenders. Investigators found approximately 200,000 shekels in cash at the mayor's mother-in-law's home and hundreds of envelopes at the residence of municipal economic company director Sagi Hen. The probe, which includes a journalistic investigation by The Marker, is expanding to cover other municipal contracts, and prosecutors are seeking to detain key suspects to prevent interference with ongoing investigations.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Mayor Rafi Saar and his wife Meital are accused of operating a bribery scheme in Kfar Saba.
- Approximately 200,000 shekels in cash were found at the mayor's mother-in-law's home.
- Hundreds of envelopes were discovered at the home of municipal economic company director Sagi Hen.
- A tender for mobile food vendors was allegedly altered to benefit a specific company.
- Prosecutors aim to detain suspects to prevent disruption of at least 85 planned investigative actions.
- The corruption probe is expanding to include school repairs, road construction, and waste disposal contracts.
A corruption investigation into Kfar Saba's municipality has revealed new details, including the discovery of approximately 200,000 shekels in cash in the closet of the mayor's mother-in-law. The elderly woman claimed the money was saved from her decades of work as a cleaner. The probe, involving The Marker newspaper, suggests a complex bribery scheme orchestrated by Mayor Rafi Saar and his wife, Meital, to favor commercial entities in municipal tenders. Prosecutors are seeking to detain key suspects, citing the need to complete at least 85 planned investigative actions. The mayor allegedly avoided direct contact with funds, while his wife, despite holding no official municipal post, managed financial flows in exchange for guaranteed tender wins for businessmen. Investigators also found hundreds of envelopes at the home of Sagi Hen, the general director of the municipal economic company. Hen claimed they were wedding gifts he was holding for a friend, but police have charged him with bribery and fraud. The investigation has also focused on a tender for mobile food vendors, which The Marker found was repeatedly altered to benefit a company owned by entrepreneur Efraim Kahalon. The municipal opposition and independent board members reportedly faced obstruction from the mayor's office when trying to access relevant documents. The investigation is expanding to include alleged irregularities in school repairs, road construction, and waste disposal contracts.
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