Police nab municipal officials in large corruption raid
12 arrested, including officials from regional council outside Jerusalem, on allegations ranging from tax evasion to sexual misconduct; eight more questioned
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Police on Sunday arrested a number of high-ranking local officials near Jerusalem on allegations of involvement in bribe-taking, tax offenses, fraud and other crimes.
A total of 12 suspects were arrested, including several officials from the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council southwest of Jerusalem, and eight more people were questioned and released, police said in a statement Monday.
Two of the suspects, including a senior municipal official, are also suspected of sexual offenses against several women.
Police suspect a senior municipal official and several other people ran a corruption racket to hand out political favors in return for bribes, all while falsifying documents, evading taxes and money laundering.
One suspect, an owner of a contracting company, is allegedly involved in other affairs involving fraud and antitrust violations.
Names and identities of the suspects are being kept under gag order.
On Monday morning, police officers, Tax Authority detectives and Antitrust Authority officials raided the suspects’ homes and offices, including regional municipality offices and the offices of the contracting company, and confiscated documents, computers and other office equipment. They also seized several bank accounts, a statement said.
Some of the suspects will be brought for future questioning in coming days, police said.
The Times of Israel Community.