State argues against freeing Elovitch, says graft amounted to ‘up to a billion’

During a deliberation of Bezeq controlling shareholder Shaul Elovitch’s request to be released to house arrest, Yehudit Tirosh of the Israel Securities Authority says Elovitch is suspected of giving and receiving bribes and illicit favors worth “up to a billion shekels.”

She says that Elovitch “proved with his actions that he cannot be trusted, not then and not since then” and that he should therefore be kept in custody despite the suspected coordination yesterday between an investigator in the case and a judge.

Tirosh says the case, which also involves several of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s confidants, one of whom has turned state’s witness, is “very severe” and the suspects should be remanded because there is a large risk they would obstruct the investigation if freed.

Elovitch, for his part, complains to the judge of “repeated efforts to break my spirit.”

“They’re trying to use this investigation to break me, to make me confess to something I never did,” he says. “But even if I keel over and have a heart attack, I won’t do it, I won’t lie.”