One of Israel’s largest charities embroiled in fraud case

Israeli police have arrested 10 employees of one of Israel’s biggest charities, saying they made criminal use of funds and goods that were supposed to reach Holocaust survivors and the needy.

Israel’s Channel 2 TV late Sunday named the organization as Hazon Yeshaya. Police believe the suspects, who include the group’s director, embezzled money and goods worth tens of millions of dollars.

Police believe the suspects sold food to ultra-Orthodox institutions instead of distributing it to the poor, and are investigating if they pocketed the proceeds, according to the Channel 2 report.

Hazon Yeshaya is supported by donations both from Israel and abroad. In the past it has received money from the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims.

The suspects face charges of fraud, money laundering, larceny, forgery and falsifying corporate documents.

In December, the London-based Jewish Chronicle reported allegations against the charity, saying Hazon Yeshaya’s British arm had initiated an audit because of suspicions of financial misconduct.