A former cabinet minister was arrested by officers of the Israel Police 433 Unit (Israel’s FBI) on suspicion of accepting bribes when serving in his ministerial post. The former minister is believed to have fixed government tenders. A colleague of the minister who is an event arranger was also taken in for questioning. The minister allegedly fixed some tenders for the female colleague so her business would receive tenders for events involving government agencies.

The investigation is the result of a 2013 State Comptroller’s report in which Justice Yosef Shapira addresses the activities of the minister in question. The report cites that he had his hand in government tenders that were not at all related to his ministry.

Police report other suspects believed connected to the case have been pulled in for questioning too. Police have also confiscated computers and papers from the offices and homes of the suspects.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)