Police source says entertainer could be indicted during remand extension hearing next Tuesday.
By YAAKOV LAPPINdudu topaz 248 88(photo credit: Channel 10)
Celebrity entertainer Dudu Topaz has confessed to hiring men to assault media executives who rejected his ideas for television programs, a law enforcement source told to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
News of the confession, said to have taken place during a police interrogation, came shortly before police had planned to confront Topaz with key suspect Daniel Zanko, Topaz's neighbor.
Police suspect Zanko put Topaz in touch with two former bouncers, who were then allegedly paid tens of thousands of shekels by the entertainer to carry out the attacks. Police say Zanko initially incriminated Topaz after he was arrested on Sunday, but then retracted his statement the following day. Zanko's lawyer said the information was forcefully extracted by police interrogators.
The face-off between Topaz and Zanko did not go ahead on Tuesday, and the police interrogation of Topaz ended a few hours after it began.
Topaz then underwent a medical checkup at the Abu Kabir prison facility where he is being held, in what police have described as a routine procedure.
Topaz's lawyer, Amir Zion, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Shira Margalit, deputy director-general of the Reshet television network, Avi Nir, director-general of the Keshet network, and actor's agent Boaz Zion have all been the victims of previously unexplained attacks by groups of men. Police also believe Topaz planned on attacking Amos Regev, editor of the Yisrael Hayom newspaper, who turned down Topaz's idea for a column.
Earlier Tuesday, Hebrew media cited a police source as saying that Topaz could be indicted during his next remand court session, scheduled for next Tuesday.
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