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| By: israelinsider staff |
| Published: April 5, 2007 |
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Finance Minister Avraham Hirschson, who has already been twice interrogate by police, was investigated yet again on Thursday by the National Financial Crimes Unit (NFCU) for suspected embezzling while he acted as chairman of a labor union.
Police are investigating if Hirschson received money embezzled by Ovadia Cohen, former head of the Nili, an organization that managed educational institutions under the umbrella of the workers' union.
Police originally suspected that Cohen embezzled approximately NIS 5.5 million from the organization, though it is now suspected that the embezzlement could have totaled more than NIS 10 million, from which Hirschson benefited.
Hirschson's son, Ofer, was also interrogated, as the police suspect that some of the money embezzled by the finance minister went to pay his son's gambling debts.
According to the Jerusalem Post, "Rather than probing Hirschson for administrative negligence - ignoring embezzlement - police are now investigating the minister on potential charges that include fraudulent acquisition under aggravated circumstances, violation of public trust, theft as a manager and of signing off on false accounting statements."
The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, a watchdog organization, has often called for Hirschson's self-suspension. Public confidence in the government would crumble if Hirschson, despite his presumed innocence, stayed in office, warned the organization in a letter addressed to the finance Minister. |
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