Prosecutors to reportedly probe ex-Mossad chief Yossi Cohen

Yossi Cohen receiving an honorary doctorate at Bar-Ilan University on May 30, 2021. (Shlomi Amsalem/Bar-Ilan University)
Yossi Cohen receiving an honorary doctorate at Bar-Ilan University on May 30, 2021. (Shlomi Amsalem/Bar-Ilan University)

The State Prosecutor’s Office will look into claims that the former head of the Mossad intelligence agency, Yossi Cohen, accepted an illicit gift worth $20,000, among other allegations, according to a television report.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit instructed State Prosecutor Amit Aisman to conduct a thorough probe of the apparently serious allegations against Cohen, the Kan public broadcaster reports today.

One of the suspicions against Cohen involves $20,000 he received from billionaire Australian businessman James Packer for his daughter’s wedding — first reported by the Haaretz daily.

In a TV interview in June, shortly after retiring as the head of the spy agency, Cohen spoke for the first time about the incident. He claimed to have accepted the funds after consulting the Mossad’s legal adviser, and said he is committed to returning the gift.

The other allegations against Cohen could not be detailed due to privacy laws, Kan says. Once the initial examination is concluded, Mandelblit will decide if a full criminal investigation is warranted, according to the report.

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