Israel police arrest PM Netanyahu’s confidants in widening corruption probe
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption scandal deepened as police arrested members of his inner circle in a widening probe, now the fourth investigation to involve the Israeli leader or his confidants.
The arrests come less than a week after police said they had enough evidence to indict Netanyahu on charges of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust.
Police revealed on Tuesday they had arrested seven people on suspicion of obstruction of justice, fraud, breach of trust, and other charges, entangling a growing number of those closest to the Prime Minister, CNN reported.
Among those arrested is Nir Hefetz, Netanyahu's former family spokesperson, and Shaul Elovitch, the multi-millionaire owner of an Israeli news organization who is considered a close friend of Netanyahu.
Shlomo Filber, the former director of the communications ministry is also arrested.
Filber and Hefetz are suspected of promoting regulation worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Israel's Bezeq telecom company in return for favorable coverage of Netanyahu in a highly popular subsidiary news site, NBC reported.