Olmert to be charged in real estate scandal

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is among 18 people who will be indicted in Israel’s largest real-estate scandal.

The Tel Aviv District’s Prosecutor’s Office announced the indictments on Monday. Among the others indicted are former Olmert chief aide Shula Zaken and ex-Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, in the Holyland apartment project affair following a court hearing.

An Israeli police investigation completed last August recommended Olmert’s indictment.

Olmert is suspected of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes during the construction of the Holyland apartment project in Jerusalem when he was mayor of the Israeli capital and then trade minister.

The Holyland project started while Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003, and continued under his successor, Lupolianski, who served until 2008.

Olmert is under investigation or on trial in several alleged scandals, but has not yet been convicted of a crime.