| The Israeli Prosecutor General's Office yesterday indicted Likud Knesset member Omri Sharon. The eldest son of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is accused of violating the law on political parties and giving false testimony. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, from 1999 to 2000, Sharon Jr. created shell companies through which he received about 6 million shekels ($1.3 million) from several commercial organizations operating in Israel and abroad. The money went to finance the election of Sharon Sr. as leader of the Likud party, and then as head of government. At the same time, the amount of donations significantly exceeded the legal limit for financing the election campaign.
At first, Ariel Sharon himself was involved in this case. However, in February, Prosecutor General Menahem Mazuz ordered the investigation to be closed due to lack of evidence. The head of the Israeli cabinet claims that he did not know about the transferred funds and promises to return them. According to press reports, Sharon the father actually returned more than $1 million to companies that financed his election campaign.
However, the inexorable Prosecutor General's Office warned that it would formally charge the prime minister's son on suspicion of creating fictitious companies. This is what happened on Sunday. Previously, Omri Sharon's parliamentary immunity was lifted, and now his case has been transferred to the Tel Aviv court. Sharon Jr. faces up to five years in prison. Maria GRISHINA, Jerusalem
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