Attorney Yisrael Peri, who was convicted of stealing and embezzling hundreds of millions of German marks from Holocaust survivors, was ordered directly to prison, without delay, to begin serving his 10-year sentence.

Peri was taken into custody on Monday after the court learned he was in the process of fleeing the country. While he denied the charges against him, the court decided to cancel the 30 days he was given to get his affairs in order prior to beginning to serve his prison sentence. 

Speaking to Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) host Razi Barkai on Wednesday, his daughter Tamar explained her father is being “hounded,” explaining he does not even live in Israel, but in England, yet he agreed to come to be tried in Israel.

“How could he have stolen money from people who never even earned it?” Tamar questioned. She explained that in 1983, money was to have been invested and the State of Israel did not, resulting in the need to seek funds from abroad. “I do not understand how the court ruled he stole money” added Tamar, who stated her father is seeking a retrial or alternatively, an appeal.

“In my opinion, this is the current day Dreyfus trial” concluded Tamar Peri.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)