News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) The indictment against former Finance Minister Avraham Hirschson states that he periodically received at his home envelopes stuffed with up to 25,000 shekels ($6,000) for "expenses." His former aide Ovadia Cohen and the former financial manager of the national Histadrut labor union also are accused of fraud and stealing millions of shekels in cash.

Hirschson also allegedly embezzled 750,000 shekels ($187,500) from the cash-strapped Histadrut to finance approximately 50 overseas trips. Hirschson told one aide the payments were part of his resignation agreement with the union.