‘Police have evidence, lean toward indicting Deri’
The Israel Police have gathered enough material evidence and are leaning toward recommending that Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit indict Interior Minister Arye Deri and his wife, Yafa, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation Kan reported on Sunday.
The report said that some of the offenses in which Deri was allegedly involved happened during his time in office. It is still unclear which of the issues will be included in the indictment, but the report indicated that law enforcement authorities are likely to accept the police’s recommendation.
Deri was questioned five times by the Lahav 433 National Fraud Unit. He is suspected of tax offenses, money laundering and breach of trust.
The investigation is being conducted by the Israel Police, the Israel Tax Authority and the Israel Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prohibition Authority.
During the investigation, Deri was questioned about three issues. The first concerns suspicion of tax offenses, fraud and money laundering in a real estate deal in which Deri allocated a property in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem to his
brother Shlomo, who is also expected to be indicted.
The second pertains to allegations that the construction of a vacation home owned by the Deri family in the Upper Galilee valley of Kfar Hoshen, also known as Safsufa, was financed by money that was not reported to the tax authorities.
The third matter concerns the NGO Mifalot Simha, run by Deri’s wife, Yafa. It is suspected that some of the organization’s money was not raised or used in accordance with tax regulations.
Following the last session of questioning last month, Deri posted on Twitter: “I just finished my questioning. Also this time I answered all of the questions in details. With the help of God, everything is okay and will be okay.” •