Senior police officers today explicitly said that the leaders of the Russian mafia in Israel sought to take over Bezeq through Gad Zeevi. “This is a classic organized crime tactic, with an international criminal using businessmen, politicians, and accountants to launder criminally obtained money,” senior officers are claiming, referring to the investigation, the existence of which was revealed by “Globes” yesterday.
Israeli resident Mikhail Chernoy, considered an intelligence target by the police of many countries around the world, is suspected of using Zeevi as a front man to buy 20% of Bezeq. Chernoy was trying to launder his money in Israel. Zeevi is suspected of having concealed the fact that Chernoy financed the deal from Bezeq and the Ministry of Communications.
The police suspect the two of having committed many acts of fraud, including a violation of the anti-money laundering law, which went into effect a few months ago. The police are also looking into allegations that politicians and Ministry of Communications officials were used to advance the deal.
Chernoy, the principal suspect, was released this morning and placed under house arrest for ten days, after spending the night in detention at the Petah Tikva police headquarters. Zeevi was released on bail yesterday, and is expected to be interrogated again today.
The Israel Police Force National Serious and International Crimes Unit has been conducting an extensive investigation into Zeevi’s activity in Israel and abroad,. They have also been investigating his ties with Chernoy, defined as a top target by the police.
Senior police officers say that the investigation will focus mainly on Chernoy and Zeevi’s involvement in the giant deal involving the acquisition of 20% of Bezeq for $630 million. Police sources today confirmed that the police are investigating whether Chernoy operated Zeevi as a front man or a covert partner, in a bid to take over a considerable part of Bezeq, using funds allegedly obtained by fraud. The authorities are also looking into whether the pair concealed the sources of the money from Bezeq and the Ministry of Communications.
We’re talking about a classic organized crime affair, involving a strenuous effort to conceal the source of criminally obtained funds,” a senior police officer told “Globes’.
Police sources voice apprehension over the alleged attempt of organized crime elements to take over a company like Bezeq. The sources describe Bezeq as “one of Israel’s strategic concerns." Apart from the security aspects, the affair involves economic implications liable to trigger an economic collapse,” the sources say.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 26 March, 2001