Gindi, Levi among suspects in Rishon Lezion-Rehovot corruption scandal

Lawyer allegedly received bribes in exchange for advising planning authorities to approve development requests in the cities.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Rishon Lezion (photo credit: Courtesy Rishon Lezion Municipality)
Rishon Lezion
(photo credit: Courtesy Rishon Lezion Municipality)
Manur Gindi and Uri Levi, the joint partners controlling Gindi Investments, and three other developers were named on Wednesday as the main suspects in a massive corruption case involving developers and senior municipal officials in Rishon Lezion and Rehovot.
The names were disclosed by the court spokesman and in a filing by Gindi Investments with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange after a gag order on their names was lifted.
The other three developer- suspects’ names disclosed were Yitzchak Amsalem, Ron Yitzchaki and Mishael Yitzchaki.
On Monday, a gag order was lifted on the name of Roi Bar, an official “outside” lawyer for Rishon Lezion and Rehovot considered to be at center of the affair and suspected of accepting millions of shekels in bribes from the developers in order to further their interests.
Also on Monday, the police permitted for publication that its Lahav 433 Unit had investigated suspicions of bribery, fraud, breach of trust, money laundering and violations of municipal ordinances by several suspects for several months.
The police said that Bar had received bribes in exchange for advising planning and building authorities to approve development requests departing from the standard rules and acting despite conflicts of interest.
The five developer-suspects were released to house arrest, but Bar is being kept in custody for the time being.
Another suspect, Amram Peretz, the CEO of developer Bonei Tichon, was released from police custody on Tuesday without even being brought before a court, which might indicate that the charges against him will be dropped.