Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's former bureau chief Shula Zaken documented transfers of some $150,000 received from Morris Talansky in the years 2003-2005. The information can be made public after the lifting of the partial gagging order on details of the affair. Some of the money was transferred directly to Olmert in the form of envelopes containing dollar bills.
No election campaigns took place during the period documented by Zaken. The documentation was fund on Zaken's computer. Some of the sums are marked as having been transferred to Adv. Uri Messer. The records indicate that the transfers of cash continued until close to January 2006, when Olmert became prime minister.
These sums are in addition to thousands of dollars Olmert received from Talansky in cash, in envelopes. Police investigators also found that Talansky set up a $300,000 bank guarantee for Olmert. It has not yet been discovered what happened to this guarantee.
There is evidence that, besides cash, Olmert also received benefits in kind, such as flights overseas and stays in hotels overseas, financed by Talansky.
The investigators also believe that there is a basis of evidence of money laundering crimes. This besides evidence of deceit and breach of trust, unlawful receipt, and offences against the gifts law. Suspicions of tax offences may also be investigated.
The police continue to probe suspicions of bribery. The possibility is being examined that Olmert gave Talansky some benefit related to his business interests.
The Jerusalem District Court has instructed the State Attorney to file a request for an extension of the order preventing Talansky from leaving Israel in the Tel Aviv Magistrates Court, since that court has heard all proceedings relating to the order up to now.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on May 22, 2008
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