Netanyahu cousin and associates to be charged with corruption
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Israel’s state prosecutor plans to indict several associates of Benjamin Netanyahu, including his cousin, for corruption in relation to a contentious £1.5bn deal to buy German submarines.
The justice ministry said in a statement that seven men would be charged with various criminal offences, including bribery, money laundering and fraud, pending a pre-trial hearing.
While Netanyahu is not a suspect, he was questioned in the long-running and high-profile investigation, known as Case 3,000. Thursday’s announcement will increase pressure on the prime minister as he faces his own separate corruption indictments as well as a political battle that could end his decades-long career.
David Shimron, a relative of Netanyahuwho also worked as his personal lawyer, will be charged with money laundering, while David Sharan, a former head of staff for Netanyahu, is also due to be indicted, as is the former head of the navy, Admiral Eliezer Marom, will also face bribery indictments. All the suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
Separately, Israel’s attorney general has charged Netanyahu with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate corruption cases.
The charge sheet accused the Israeli leader of accepting hundreds of thousands of pounds in luxury gifts from billionaire friends and for trading valuable favours with Israeli media and telecoms moguls for positive news coverage.
