Minister Aryeh Deri will be prosecuted subject to a hearing: Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced this morning (Friday) that he intends to prosecute Minister Deri for tax offenses. The investigation into Deri’s case, which opened five years ago, initially dealt with suspicions of bribery – but the ombudsman decided to charge him with tax offenses in the end, subject to a hearing.
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Mandelblit announced today to Interior Minister Aryeh Deri’s attorney that after examining the evidence, it was decided to prosecute him for tax offenses in three different incidents, subject to a hearing. The investigation began on suspicion of bribery offenses – but the ombudsman ruled that there was no evidentiary basis for these offenses and ruled that Deri would not be charged with them.
Deri wrote this morning: “After more than 5 years of difficult investigation, I thank the Creator of the world for the decision to dismiss all the false accusations against me and I am convinced that at the hearing it will also be decided to close the tax case, after all the facts are presented to the Attorney General. In my role as Minister of the Interior and concern for the weak who need assistance, especially during the Corona period and the preservation of the Jewish identity of the state. “
The tax offenses relating to Deri relate to three different cases; The first is a real estate transaction from 2013, in which Minister Deri sold a property in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem to his brother, Shlomo Deri. The design and character of the lot – which was presented as an empty lot while it was already a residential building in the making.
Another case concerns income from the American investment fund “Green Ocean”, which paid Minister Deri a commission for raising an investor for the fund. According to the indictment, since January 2013, when he returned to political life, Minister Deri ordered “Green Ocean” to transfer the commissions to his brother Shlomo. Thus, Shlomo Deri was paid NIS 630,000 against false “consulting” invoices produced by Deri’s brother’s office.
The third case concerns income from a subsidiary of Egged and businessman Moshe Haba. Minister Deri provided a joint venture between Haba and Egged Consulting and Marketing Services in 2012, when he allegedly asked to receive his salary in the form of a donation of NIS 180,000 to be paid to the Carmei Ha’ir Association. The association belongs to Deri’s associate, Yehuda Azrad.
I intend to continue to focus on the roles of Minister of the Interior and concern for the weak who need assistance, especially during the Corona period and the preservation of the Jewish identity of the state
– Arie Makhlouf Deri (@ariyederi) January 8, 2021
The wage in question, which is taxable, was not reported as required. In addition, the latter also paid NIS 100,000 in those days from his personal account to Minister Deri’s personal account – which also constitutes income that has not been reported to the income tax.
Deri’s lawyer, Adv. Navot Tel-Tzur, responded: “After more than five years of difficult and torturous investigation, the Attorney General ruled at the beginning of his decision that he clears Minister Aryeh Deri of any suspicion of government corruption.”
Aryeh Deri’s investigation began in 2015 and included suspicions of bribery. It ended in November 2018 with a recommendation by the police and the Tax Authority to the Attorney General to prosecute Deri for fraud and breach of trust, tax offenses and money laundering. The same recommendation was adopted by then-State Attorney Shai Nitzan in August 2019. Mandelblit, as stated, decided to charge Deri with tax offenses. Only finally.