Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara should be indicted for bribery in a corruption scandal known as Case 4000, the Israel Police have recommended.
A statement issued on Sunday says that Netanyahu is suspected of accepting bribes in exchange for policy decisions that favored Shaul Elovitch, a media mogul that controlled Israel’s largest telecom firm, Bezeq, and the Walla News website.
הסתיימה חקירת תיק 4000: עם סיום החקירה עמדת משטרת ישראל והרשות לניירות ערך היא כי נתגבשה תשתית ראייתית מספקת לביסוס החשדות נגד המעורבים העיקריים בפרשה. נגד רה"מ בנימין נתניהו התגבשה תשתית ראייתית מספקת לביצוע עבירות של לקיחת שוחד, מרמה והפרת אמונים וקבלת דבר במרמה בנסיבות מחמירות
— משטרת ישראל (@IL_police) December 2, 2018
It’s believed that Netanyahu fired Communications Ministry Director-General Avi Berger and hired his loyalist and ex-campaign manager Shlomo Filber in order to provide Elovitch and his companies special treatment. In exchange, Netanyahu and his wife struck a deal with Elovitch, giving the Israeli prime minister favorable coverage on the Walla news site.
“Netanyahu and those close to him bluntly intervened, sometimes on a daily basis, with the content being published on the Walla news website, and sought to influence the appointment of senior employees (editors and reporters), while using their ties to Shaul and Iris Elovitch,” the police statement read.
If true, this would constitute bribery, as Netanyahu worked to set government policies that would increase monetary profits in exchange for positive media coverage.
Police recommended that charges also be brought against Elovitch and his wife Iris. It’s now up to the State Prosecutor’s Office to decide whether charges will be brought.
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