September 8, 2008

Ehud Olmert should be indicted, Israeli police tell prosecutors

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JERUSALEM (JTA)—Ehud Olmert should be indicted on corruption charges, Israeli police recommended Sunday.

Bribery is the most serious of the charges that police recommended against the prime minister to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz. Others include fraud, breach of trust and money laundering.

The corruption charges stem from two investigations of Olmert. In the Rishon Tours double billing affair, he allegedly used money from charitable organizations to fund family trips. In the Talansky affair, Olmert is alleged to have received illegal contributions from American businessman Morris Talansky over the course of 15 years.

Police are still reviewing evidence in a third case; Olmert is under investigation in six cases.

The recommendations, along with investigative material, will be passed on to the state prosecutor’s office. Once the material is passed on and a hearing held for Olmert, the prosecutor’s office will make a decision on filing an indictment in about two weeks.

Police also recommended charging Olmert’s former bureau chief Shula Zaken.

A statement from the Prime Ministers Office called the recommendations “meaningless.”