Israeli taxman said seeking millions on donations to ex-PM Olmert’s legal defense

8 July 2021, 5:08 pm

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Former prime minister Ehud Olmert speaks at a conference of business organizations, in Tel Aviv on February 21, 2019 (Ben Dori/Flash90)

The Israel Tax Authority orders former prime minister Ehud Olmert to pay millions of shekels in taxes on donations he received for his legal defense while on trial for corruption charges, the Haaretz daily reports.

In an objection, Olmert argued the donations were from friends and should therefore be treated as nontaxable gifts, according to the newspaper. He is expected to appeal if the tax authority rejects this argument.

The sum the tax authority is demanding, which the report doesn’t specify, is subject to interest payments and linkage differentials.

Olmert resigned as prime minister in 2008 before being formally indicted on corruption charges. He was convicted of fraud in 2014 and served 16 months of a 27-month prison sentence.