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Faina Kirschenbaum Convicted of Bribery Israel today

2021-03-25T08:25:22.575Z


| Sentence 7 years after the investigation of the "Israel Beiteinu" affair began, she was convicted of taking bribes regarding the former deputy minister • A decision will also be given regarding Rami Cohen The bribery case in "Israel Beiteinu": Tel Aviv District Court Judge Yaron Levy will today (Thursday) give the verdict in the case of former Interior Minister Faina Kirschenbaum and former director gener


7 years after the investigation of the "Israel Beiteinu" affair began, she was convicted of taking bribes regarding the former deputy minister • A decision will also be given regarding Rami Cohen

The bribery case in "Israel Beiteinu":

Tel Aviv District Court Judge Yaron Levy will today (Thursday) give the verdict in the case of former Interior Minister Faina Kirschenbaum and former director general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Rami Cohen, in case 242.

The case of Yisrael Beiteinu: Faina Kirschenbaum arrives in court ahead of verdict // Photo: Avi Cohen

At the hearing, Judge Yaron Levy said that "the defendant, who was a believer in the distribution of the party's funds, took bribes in a systematic and cunning manner."

According to Justice Kirschenbaum is acquitted of bribery in the first charge and fraud and breach of trust in the first charge taking bribes in the seventh charge.

He said, "In this method, the defendant took a share of public money in the cumulative amount of NIS 2 million. The bribe money was used by her family members, the party and her associates and elements she wanted in their favor. The defendant gained the trust of the party chairman, who appointed her secretary." The party held a high hand and held a coveted and numerous governmental power.

"It had the ability to allocate, at its sole discretion, between NIS 80 and 200 million a year, and a total of NIS 1.2 billion during her tenure.

"In the years that Kirschenbaum held power, she developed the skill and creativity to circumvent the rules of good administration and make public money mature."

As part of the case, whose investigation began seven years ago in December 2014, indictments were filed against 19 defendants, with 17 of them already convicted.

The indictment attributes to Kirschenbaum, the former deputy interior minister and one of the former prominent figures in the Yisrael Beiteinu party, offenses of taking bribes, bribery, money laundering, use of fraudulent deception and cunning in the corporation and intent to evade tax.

Most of the counts, including bribery and money laundering, involve multiple offenses. 

Kirschenbaum was one of the women closest to the party's chairman Avigdor Lieberman, served as the party's secretary general from 2003 to 2014, MK and deputy interior minister from 2014-2009. As part of her duties, she had faith in the party's coalition funds. 

According to the indictment, since 2006 Faina Kirschenbaum has acted "systematically and deliberately" (the language of the indictment) to commit a series of offenses while taking advantage of her public role, the effect that stems from her status and especially its impact on the state budget, for her family. Her party and those close to her.

According to the indictment, she asked, spurred and even demanded that public employees, public bodies, directors of associations and private individuals work with her to advance her goals and hide them.

In addition, the indictment details a complex mechanism whose purpose was to take public funding and make it for the personal use of the defendants, who used the coalition funds transfer system to divert funds to associations and organizations who in return were required to pay bribes or benefits to the defendants themselves or their associates.

The consideration was paid in funds, products or other benefits, such as providing free services, financing trips abroad, seemingly employing associates and transferring funds to the Yisrael Beiteinu party in a variety of ways. Thus, in one case, the benefit was paid in the form of establishing a cigarette import company. Which was registered in the name of Faina Kirschenbaum's daughter, with the aim of concealing her involvement in the case.  

Rami Cohen: Multiple bribery offenses, money laundering, taking action on prohibited property and more 

Rami Cohen, former director general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, whose verdict will also be handed down today, provided business advice through Barak Reut Investments, which he owns; Cohen served as director general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2013-2014 and was one of the founders of the Yisrael Beiteinu party. .

He was charged with multiple offenses of giving and taking bribes, money laundering, taking action on prohibited property, forgery of a document in aggravated circumstances, false registration in corporation documents, obstruction of justice, receiving anything by fraud and threats. 

This is one of the largest corruption investigations investigated by the JHA (National Fraud Investigation Unit) since its inception. About 190 telephones, computers and tablets and 160 boxes of investigative materials were collected.

The case was transferred to the State Attorney's Office in October 2015, returned to the police for completion and returned to the State Attorney's Office in September 2016. The hearing letters were sent to the main suspects in September 2016 and the hearings were held between February and June 2017.

In the case, 10 indictments have been filed against 19 defendants so far.

Source: israelhayom

All news articles on 2021-03-25

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