Key suspect in coalition whip graft probe released to house arrest
Police said to be pressing Moshe Yosef, who is suspected of handling bribes on behalf of David Bitan, to turn state’s witness
A key suspect in a wide-ranging corruption investigation involving Coalition chairman David Bitan was released to house arrest on Friday amid reports police are seeking to turn him into a state’s witness in the case.
Moshe Yosef, a Rishon Lezion businessman and close associate of Bitan, is suspected of handling bribes on behalf of the Likud lawmaker. His son has also been questioned in the investigation.
According to a Hadashot TV news report Friday, prosecutors are willing to accept a three-year prison sentence for Yosef in exchange for him turning state’s witness and cooperating in the investigation.
“There is a substantial amount of evidence against you of tax offenses totaling millions of shekels. If you cooperate we will be satisfied with three years in prison,” the TV report quoted investigators telling Yosef upon his release.
On Sunday, police spent hours examining files at Yosef’s furniture store, which is believed to have been used as a front for money laundering.
It was not the first time police visited the store. Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported that when the investigation into Bitan began, officers set up hidden cameras and recording devices in the store, and, based on the evidence they collected, built up a very strong case against him.
Police footage from the hidden cameras reportedly showed Bitan counting large sums of money, and appearing to use the store as a bank to withdraw cash. Hadashot news reported Thursday that Bitan can be heard in the recordings saying “I am also owed money for Dror,” in an apparent reference to Dror Glazer, who has also been arrested in the case.
The clips also allegedly showed Bitan warmly greeting Husam Jarushi, a member of what police consider to be one of the most powerful, and violent, of Israel’s crime families.
Bitan told police during his interrogations that he didn’t know Jarushi, asserting that if he had met him it was only in passing at some political event. Jarushi has also been arrested.
Four suspects have told investigators they either gave money, or planned to give money, to Yosef, the Kan public broadcaster reported Tuesday.
Channel 10 reported Tuesday that officers secretly filmed Bitan’s wife, Hagit Bitan, leaving Yosef’s store while carrying an envelope investigators believe was stuffed with cash.
Dozens of suspects, including Rishon Lezion city officials, local businessmen and organized crime figures, have been arrested or questioned in the probe, dubbed Case 1803.
Bitan is suspected of having taken bribes from crime organizations in Rishon Lezion after he became the deputy mayor of the city in 2005, and of diverting a construction tender toward the son of an acquaintance in exchange for money, among other offenses.
He has been questioned three times by police at the Lahav 433 national crime unit headquarters in Lod, each session lasting several hours.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is himself under police investigation for suspected corruption, has publicly backed Bitan, saying on Sunday that Bitan enjoys “the presumption of innocence.”
“I respect him, and I really like him,” Netanyahu said told reporters in Paris, where he was on a two-day visit. “He’s doing excellent work as coalition whip.”
