Apartments, finances and invoices for "consulting": the details behind the suspicions against Bitan

From the suspicion that the prosecution has published, there is a branch of bribery ties allegedly tainted by the MK for years. From his time in the Rishon Lezion municipality to his tenure in Knesset Suspect Bitten in nine cases, which promote construction projects and interests of his associates. The names, amounts and types of death vary - but the method is the same method.

Apartments, finances and invoices for "consulting": the details behind the suspicions against Bitan

The grave suspicions released today on the Taxation and Economy Prosecutor's Office against MK David Bitten (the Likud) draw a branched network of bribery ties that has apparently been spared for years. First as a municipal functionary in Rishon Lezion, and then as a member of the Knesset Speaker. Bitten is accused of receiving bribes and money laundering in the amount of almost a million shekels. In another case, he is attributed to fraud and breach of trust. The details behind the indictments seem like a real way to get serial bribes.

The first case concerns the suspicion of a bribe allegedly received by Bitan from the real estate developer Dror Glazer. The latter promoted several construction projects in Tel Aviv, including one in a building on Gershon Schatz Street. Near the end of 2010, Glaser received messages from municipal authorities that his request to increase the number of housing units in the Tithe project to 14 is expected to be rejected. His associate suggested that he meet a veteran Likud activist and a friend of Bitten, who is currently working as a lobbyist and is being investigated.

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A real method for getting serial bribes. Bitten enters investigation, 2018 (Photo: Avi Cohen)

David Bitten enters investigation, Lahav 433, February 11, 2018 (Photo by Avi Cohen)

Glazer met with the activist, who offered to help him through Bitan and Arnon Giladi - a senior in the Tel Aviv municipality and a member of the local planning and construction committee. The assistance was not free. Glazer agreed, and the plan began rolling. On March 10, 2011, a triple meeting was held at the activist's home in Petah Tikva, attended by herself, Bitten and Glazer. At the meeting, Bitten updated the real estate developer on how to act, in accordance with the agreement he agreed with Giladi. The meeting also talked about the payment, and it was agreed that if the request to increase the number of units was approved, Glazer would transfer 100 shekels to the activist: 40 for Bitan, 40 for Giladi and 20 for it. The increase in the number of housing units was approved by the Planning and Building Subcommittee in June 2011. Gilad supported the request, as agreed, and the funds were transferred in several beats.

The same construction project encountered problems again in 2014, when it was already in advanced stages of construction: It turned out that a unique parking facility could not be built in the parking lot, which was one of the building permit conditions in the first place. The developers wanted to cancel the obligation to build the facility - but the municipality's officials refused for safety reasons. Glazer decided to run again on the path he had used several years before, and approached Bitan, who agreed to help for a fee.

The method was implemented, at one level or another, in two projects - the student dormitory and a project on Champions Shadow Street in the city. Altogether, according to the suspicion, Bitten from Glazer received NIS 285,000 in those years. The funds were transferred through Moshe Yosef, a close associate of Bitan who served as his "account manager". Glazer wrote checks to the company that Joseph owned, and in return he issued false invoices stating that the funds were paid for furniture, consulting services and more. It is suspected that Bitten asked Glaser another quarter of a million to continue handling the student dormitory project, and Glaser agreed - but the deal was not successful.

The Hall of Fame and "Manhattan of Israel": The projects at the center of the Bitan affair

The assistance was not free. Giladi (Photo: Yoav Itiel)

Arnon Giladi (Photo: Photo Archive: Yoav Itiel, Walla System! NEWS)

Another case concerns construction company Danya Cebus. Due to various agreements, Danya Cebus was tasked with setting up gas stations along Highway 431, and in particular a station at the Ein Kora interchange, in the municipal area of ​​Rishon Lezion. The company had an economic interest in advancing the plan quickly, but in the course of the professional discussions, disputes between it and the municipality and the local planning and construction committee emerged. The CEO of the subsidiary engaged in the project contacted Danya Cebus' CEO, Ronen Ginzburg, and asked for help with the Rishon LeZion municipality. Ginsburg contacted Joseph, Bitten's associate.

Joseph organized a meeting between the Ginsburg CEO and Bitten, who was then Deputy Mayor and member of the Planning and Building Committee. The meeting was held in March 2013 at a restaurant located in the Town Hall, in which Ginsburg detailed the difficulties encountered by the subsidiary. After the meeting, Joseph asked Ginsburg to convey to Bitten The money was transferred to Yosef's company, against receipts which stated that it was consulting services.

In just two weeks, Bitan managed to ensure that the improvement levy imposed on the subsidiary would amount to only NIS 800,000, against a preliminary estimate of NIS 3.5 to NIS 4.5 million. He also suspects, among other things, that he pressured the city engineer not to oppose the plan in the planning committee, and even voted for it in the committee - despite being in sharp conflict of interest.

To Biten, he detailed the difficulties the subsidiary faced and spent NIS 300,000. Ginsburg (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Ronen Ginsburg CEO Danya Cebus 13/08/2015 (Photo: -, Reuven Castro)

As in the Tel Aviv affair, the prosecutor's office also suspects that the cooperation has sparked another bribery affair. In early 2014, Danya Cebus won another tender with the construction of a section of Highway 38, in the Judean lowlands. However, the Ministry of Transport's planning for the road segment was expected to cause losses to the company. Ginsburg, according to the suspicion, contacted Joseph to use his contacts and help him set up meetings with senior officials at the government office.

Joseph appealed to Bitan, who allegedly agreed with him that Ginsburg would transfer an additional NIS 177,000 in the same method. The funds were, again, transferred against counseling for advice, and split half and half between Bitan and Joseph. Indeed, Bitten contacted the head of the Department of Transportation, a Likud activist with whom he was a friend, and soon succeeded in ensuring that a meeting was held between Ginsburg and the office's executive director.

These are just two salient examples of the method, which spans no less than eight cases: Once the suspicion is for an attempt to increase building project percentages in exchange for apartments, while making false agreements in Joseph's name, and once trying to solve dirt contractor problems for tens of thousands of shekels. Once suspected of giving the bribe, he is an active Likud engineer, and once a supermarket company who wants to "fix" a levy. The names, amounts, and types of gifting vary - but the method is the same.

On notes, using codes

The exceptional case is the ninth, which deals with the relationship between Bitten and Joseph, and in the cases of breach of trust which he allegedly gave birth. Joseph first knew Bitten in 2012, when he addressed a specific personal matter to the municipality. A year later, Joseph helped him run the local election campaign and later became his confidant.

According to the prosecutor's office, Joseph served as a conduit for bribes, and also saved them for Bitten, handing him sums when he needed them. The entire accounting was conducted on notes, using codes. People knew that to get help from Bethan, Joseph had to be approached. Bitten, even when he was MK and chairman of the coalition, allegedly acted to promote various interests of his associate. Thus, it is alleged that at the request of Yosef, Bitten spoke with the head of the Intelligence Council, and prevented construction inspectors from arriving at the construction site at Yosef's home, which revealed building abnormalities.

In another case, as part of that affair, Yosef worked to promote a contractor's interests in the Alf compound, a huge building complex on a thousand dunam in Rishon Lezion. Bitten, on suspicion, took advantage of his status to help the two. He contacted various agencies in the municipality to promote their interests, and even assisted the same contractor in the dispute with the Hod Hasharon Municipality.

Bitten is suspected of taking advantage of his status to help advance interests. Rishon LeZion Municipality (Photo: Moti Milrod)

Rishon Lezion Municipality 3.12.2017 (Photo: Moti Millrod, Haaretz)

In another sub-affidavit in the indictment, Joseph contacted people from the Jaroshi family in Ramla, asking him to work to power the company. Joseph turned to Bitan, who met with one of the family members. Bitten held a meeting on the subject in his Knesset office, attended by members of the Israel Lands Authority, the Ministry of Justice, administrative and planning officials and more, and expressed his desire to help connect the neighborhood. Although, on the face of it, this is a legitimate issue for MK to advance - the suspicion is that Bitten did so only in the interests of his associate.

In these acts, according to the prosecutor's office, Bitten severely damaged the proper administration and public trust. However, because it is not possible to vote for a consideration he received in exchange for promoting the same matters, he is accused of this affair fraudulently and breach of trust, and not bribery. On behalf of the State Attorney's Office of Taxation and Economics, there are attorneys with Eti Ben Dor, Yael Schneider, Roy Gordon and Michal Gazit.

"Matter decisions made on the basis of professional judgment"

Attorney Demery

Attorney Matityahu

Attorneys Dror Matityahu and Ephraim Demri, who represent MK Bitan, said: "Member of Knesset Bitan has never received funds or benefits for actions related to his role as a public servant. All the decisions made by MK Bitan, while in public office, were matter-of-fact decisions made on the basis of professional judgment, in the public interest only and in his eyes.

Danya Cebus said: "Danya Cebus is a law-abiding company and she and her people firmly deny any allegation that they have paid bribes or acted illegally. We are sorry that the prosecution rushed to publish the decision to the media while delaying the transfer of the investigative materials until after The election, thereby impairing the defendants' ability to defend themselves and their good name. The indictment is full of events and interpretations that are detached from reality, and things will be elaborated upon at the hearing. "