Judge Edna Bekenstein: Omri Sharon used fraud and forgery to bring his father to power.
Former Likud MK Omri Sharon was sentenced to nine months in prison, nine months probation, and a NIS 300,000 fine following his confession and conviction of violating the Party Financing Law (1973) and lying under oath to the State Comptroller. He was convicted in the Annex Research affair, the company used to finance the Likud primaries campaign of his father, Ariel Sharon, in 1999.
Tel Aviv Magistrates Court President Judge Edna Bekenstein ruled that Omri Sharon would delay serving his sentence by six months, until August 31, because of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s health. Ariel Sharon has been in a coma for over a month. In her verdict, Bekenstein said Omri Sharon’s verdict should be severe in this case, despite his father’s health.
Bekenstein said Omri Sharon had committed serious violations of the Party Financing Law, including fraud and forgery, in order to bring his father to power, while trampling other candidates underfoot.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on February 14, 2006