Former Likud Officials and Businessmen Detained Over Multi-Million Shekel Economic Crimes

On Monday, four individuals linked to the Likud party were detained for questioning by the Lahav 433 unit on suspicions of economic offenses involving tens of millions of shekels. The suspects include contractor Dudi Apple, who has been undergoing bankruptcy proceedings since 2012, former Likud MK and Appeals Court President Michael Kleiner, and businessmen brothers Yaffa and Yitzhak Dayan. They were questioned at the National Economic Investigations Unit (YAL"K) in cooperation with the Insolvency and Economic Rehabilitation Commissioner, suspected of concealing real estate rights and smuggling assets.

Apple, burdened with debts amounting to tens of millions of shekels, allegedly hid ownership of real estate valued in the tens of millions and transferred assets under his control, violating his obligation to disclose assets during bankruptcy proceedings. Reports indicate Apple portrayed himself as asset-less while hiding property rights through complex transactions. Kleiner is suspected of assisting Apple, while the Dayan brothers allegedly collaborated with him in a systematic scheme to conceal their rights from authorities and amass large sums.

Apple's lawyer, Efraim Damari, stated the case is old, having been investigated about 14 years ago, questioning why enforcement agencies are revisiting it. Lawyers Uri Korb and Sivan Russo, representing the Dayan brothers, emphasized their clients are law-abiding businessmen and that the ongoing investigation, spanning several years, has yielded no evidence of wrongdoing. After questioning, all four suspects were released under restrictive conditions. Another individual involved, currently abroad, is expected to be questioned as part of the investigation.