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Israeli Premier suspected of fraud

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is suspected of asking many public organisations to pay for the same trips abroad and the money was then allegedly used for family holidays, said a joint statement released by the Israel Police and the Justice Ministry on Friday.

“The Prime Minister was asked to give his account about suspicions of serious fraud and other offences,” said the joint statement, following a third round of police questioning of Mr. Olmert in a corruption investigation.

The statement said the latest suspicions pertained to Mr. Olmert’s posts as Jerusalem Mayor and Minister of Industry and Trade, during which he allegedly asked for and received the money from organisations primarily involved in public activity.

According to the suspicions, Mr. Olmert’s travel agency allegedly sent an individual receipt to each organisation which gave money for the same flights, as though each had been the only contributor.

The suspicion is that the funds were used to pay for trips abroad.— Xinhua

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