Driver: I personally handed Olmert envelopes stuffed with cash

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Avi Sherman, a limousine driver who drove Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during his tenure as mayor of Jerusalem, testified to police on Thursday that he personally gave Olmert envelopes stuffed with cash from several businessmen, among them U.S. businessman and fund-raiser Morris Talansky and American billionaire Daniel Abraham.

Olmert is currently facing a criminal investigation over suspicions that he took bribes from Talansky during his tenures as Jerusalem mayor and later as trade minister.

Channel 2 on Thursday aired excerpts from Sherman's testimony. "When Olmert would arrive in New York," Sherman is heard saying in one of the excerpts, "he would coordinate his trip with Shula Zaken, and I would go to the offices of the non-profit organization raising funds for Sha'arei Tzedek - which was headed by Talansky - and I would collect an envelope from his secretary. The envelope was full of cash dollars. Then I would go to the Regency Hotel and give the envelope to Ehud personally, in his hand."

Sherman also testified that he gave Olmert funds from Abraham, who denied any connection to the money. Sherman said that the money was hidden in packages of the diet drink "Slim Fast," which is a product manufactured by Abraham's company.

Sherman was questioned by the National Fraud Investigations Unit several months ago, before the investigation into Olmert's conduct was launched. However, after Talansky testified some two weeks ago, Sherman was summoned to testify for a second time. Police sources said they were not convinced of Sherman's credibility. According to the sources, the investigators tried to corroborate his testimony this week, but it is not clear whether they will be able to rely on it."

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[hisownpetard]

1. The proof is in the pudding (drink). Did Olmert lose weight, or not?

[Scurrilous]

2. Report: Police to confront Olmert with new evidence

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"Channel 2 TV reported on Friday that police will next week question Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in connection with the ongoing corruption investigation.

The case centers on U.S. fund-raiser Morris Talansky who allegedly
transferred tens of thousands of dollars to Olmert. The delivery of the cash allegedly occurred during Olmert's tenure as Jerusalem mayor for a decade beginning in 1993 or as trade minister beginning in 2003.

Channel 2 reported that police will confront Olmert with evidence they have obtained in recent interrogations of those believed involved in the case.

Police this week questioned two U.S. businessmen in connection to the suspicions. Olmert has been questioned over the allegations once this far.

Earlier on Friday, several Kadima MKs gathered at the home of MK Isaac Ben-Israel to discuss the ongoing investigation against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

This is the first meeting of this kind since the news first broke regarding Olmert's probe, but the participants maintain that the nature of the meeting is merely a "theoretical discussion" and not an attempted putsch."

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[Scurrilous]

3. Prosecutor: Talansky personally handed Olmert envelopes of cash

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"State Prosecutor Moshe Lador said Monday that American millionaire Moshe Talansky personally handed money to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on several occasions.

"While Olmert served as a minister in the Israeli government, he allegedly received funds from Talansky, in Israel and abroad, sometimes through (Shula) Zaken," Lador said.

Speaking at a High Court hearing over a petition submitted by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his former office manager, Shula Zaken, against the Jerusalem District Court's decision to hear preliminary testimony from American millionaire Morris Talansky, Lador also said that Talansky's testimony included details of specific amounts transferred to Olmert, and descriptions of visits to Israel in which he handed Olmert money in envelopes."

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