New indictment announced in sprawling Yisrael Beytenu corruption case

A former director of the Maccabi Rishon Lezion basketball team is being indicted for bribery and other fraud charges linked to the corruption case against a number of Yisrael Beytenu party officials, the state prosecution announces.

Moshe Kaliski, who has also served as a member of Israel Basketball Association and the Israel Handball Association, will face charges for receiving bribes, falsifying documents and money laundering.

Last month, former deputy interior minister Faina Kirshenbaum and nine other officials linked to Yisrael Beytenu were indicted for a litany of corruption charges, including bribery, fraud and money laundering.

Kaliski is being accused of using connections to Kirshenbaum to secure half a million shekels for the Israel Handball Association, despite it not being eligible for such funding. As part of the deal, Kaliski allegedly received NIS 180,000 for himself, which he falsely billed to a printing company he owned at the time. In return, Kaliski purportedly helped Kirshenbaum receive bribes from the Jordan Valley local sport council, where he has connections.

The indictments come after a two-year investigation, known as Case 242, centered around the party in one of the most far-reaching public corruption cases in Israel’s history.

— Raoul Wootliff