Olmert to stand trial in case of Talansky cash envelopes

Preparing to end his term as prime minister, Ehud Olmert was informed Sunday, March 1 that state attorney Menahem Mazuz had decided to indict him on corruption charges in the Talansky case. Preparing to end his term as prime minister, Ehud Olmert was informed Sunday, March 1 that state attorney Menahem Mazuz had decided to indict him on fraud, breach of public trust and receiving illicit funds in the Talansky case. The charge of bribery was dropped. Moshe Talansky, a Long Island businessman, testified last May that he gave Olmert payments of $670,000, largely stuffed in envelopes, from 1992 when he ran for mayor of Jerusalem to 2005 when he was minister of trade.
The prime minister’s trial is subject to a special hearing, one of the the legal battles facing him. His lawyers will argue that Talansky’s cross-questioning was never finished because the businessman left the country and refused to return. Another major inquiry pending against the outgoing prime minister relates to suspicions that he fraudulently doubled-billed sponsors for air tickets.
Friday, he was quizzed under caution for the 16th time on this and other charges.
Olmert stepped down as prime minister last year amid these and other corruption scandals, prompting the February 2009 general election. He is acting as caretaker until Binyamin Netanyahu, the Likud leader designated prime minister, is able to form a coalition, possibly within days.