Israel's Olmert may face corruption charges

[Scurrilous]

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"Israel's attorney general says he is considering charging Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with corruption over allegations he illegally received funds from an American businessmen.

Attorney General Menachem Mazuz says Olmert committed fraud and breached confidences when he allegedly used his then-position as mayor of Jerusalem to help businessman Morris Talansky in 2006.

Olmert says the money he received was legal campaign funding.

Mazuz will decide whether to indict Olmert after the prime minister has had a chance to refute the charges in a hearing before the attorney general. No date has been set for that meeting.

Mazuz ordered an investigation in April 2008 into the relationship between Olmert and Talansky. Talansky gave a colorful testimony last year, telling of various times that he handed Olmert envelopes stuffed with cash. The testimony badly damaged the already unpopular Olmert."

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[bemildred]

1. Why is he still there? nt

[Scurrilous]

2. Police: Indict Olmert in trade ministry probe

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"The fraud squad on Thursday said that there is sufficient evidence to indict Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for graft and breach of trust during his stint as Trade Minister under predecessor Ariel Sharon.

In the "Israel Investment Center" affair, first exposed in Haaretz, Olmert is suspected of fraud and breach of trust while trade minister in granting preferential treatment to a factory represented by his then-lawyer and former friend, Uri Messer.

According to suspicions, Olmert would allegedly intervene in requests from Messer's clients, and even allegedly granted financial favors worth millions of shekels.

Olmert, who aannounced his intention to resign in July 2008 due to mounting corruptions claims against him, also faces charges for allegedly billing multiple organizations for the same trips abroad, and for allegedly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from American Jewish businessman Morris (Moshe) Talansky.

In a letter to Olmert's attorneys earlier this week, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said that he believes the prime minister had methodically abused his public office and his status to acquire personal favors from Talansky over a period of time. Mazuz wrote Olmert obtained financial favors in exchange for assisting Talansky in his business ventures, while being in a conflict of interests."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1068906.html