$3.3 million found in bank account of Lieberman associate

Investigation into alleged corruption involving several Yisrael Beytenu officials has found over $5 million in cash and assets in suspects’ possession

INN

Police investigators looking into the alleged corruption scandal involving dozens of members of Yisrael Beytenu have discovered NIS 13 million ($3.3 million) in the bank account of lobbyist Yisrael Yehoshua, an associate of Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Lieberman.

Investigators have also found NIS 2 million ($510,000) in Deputy Interior Minister Faina Kirshenbaum’s bank accounts.

The investigation has led to a suspicion that fictitious funds and salaries were transferred from Yisrael Beytenu to various individuals and organizations. Kirshenbaum is soon expected to undergo another interrogation on the matter, possibly this week.

After the recent publication of the chart “The Flow of the Bribe Money,” senior officials in the Finance Ministry were asked to assist Lahav 433 Unit investigators in understanding the mechanism of government money transfers. As of now, it is unclear how the millions of shekels of state money reached private bank accounts

Investigators are also looking into whether donation money and party funding also found its way to the accounts. Thus far, police have found the suspects to be in possession of over NIS 20 million ($5.1 million) in cash and assets.

On Sunday, criticism was leveled at Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch over remarks he made against the police this past weekend.

“He doesn’t know a thing about the investigation,” senior officials said behind closed doors.

Deputy Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Nissim Mor said: “There is no reason or justification for attacking the investigators. The investigation is based on an organized plan. Every action is overseen by the investigators, the attorney-general, and the state prosecutor’s.”

Either way, the Ometz association for social and legal justice sent Aharonovitch a letter on Sunday demanding his immediate resignation from the cabinet because of his statements about the investigation