Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is under police investigation for accepting cash bribes from wealthy cronies, including a well-known American businessman. The details of the suspicions against the Prime Minister were released Thursday night when a Tel Aviv District Court partially lifted a gag order on details of the case. 
Some aspects of the case will remain under wraps.
Some aspects of the case will remain under wraps, officials said.
According to details of the police probe released to the media, Olmert is under investigation for receiving bribes from one or more wealthy contributors during his terms as mayor of Jerusalem and as Minister of Industry and Trade. One of those suspected of giving significant amounts of cash to Olmert is Morris (Moshe) Talansky, a 75-year-old American Jewish businessman. Talansky, who was questioned during a recent visit to Israel, is apparently the central witness in the investigation thus far, although a senior Olmert staffer, Shula Zaken, has also been repeatedly questioned by police in connection with the latest corruption investigation.
PM Olmert: 'If Charges Are Pressed, I Will Resign'
In response to the lifting of the gag order, Prime Minister Olmert told a press conference Thursday night, "If the Attorney General decides to file charges against me, I will resign."
Olmert gave his own version of events connected with the corruption investigation, saying that he met Talansky in 1993, when Olmert was running for mayor of Jerusalem. "Talansky helped me raise campaign funds for those and other elections in which I took part," the Prime Minister said, adding that Talansky also covered deficits the Olmert campaigns had created.
"There was nothing wrong with raising funds," Olmert said. "I never received any bribes. I never took a cent into my own pocket."
Details of the Investigation Thus Far Revealed
Details of the latest corruption investigation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as presented to the media by police officials and the Attorney General's Office, with court sanction, are as follows:
The investigation, which officially began ten days ago, centers on suspicions that Prime Minister Olmert accepted monies illegally while serving as mayor of Jerusalem and as Minister of Industry and Trade. The sources of the suspect funds, which are believed to have been significant, were one or more foreigners. The monies were
Prime Minister Olmert was questioned for about an hour by police investigators about the corruption allegations.allegedly paid to Olmert over a lengthy period of time, both directly and indirectly.
One of the central witnesses in the building case is a foreign resident, identified in the foreign media and by Olmert himself as Talansky, who was questioned by police during his visit to Israel over the Passover holiday. Talansky's name came up in connection with the suspected bribes during a police investigation into a separate matter.
On May 2, following testimony by Talansky and other witnesses, Prime Minister Olmert was questioned for about an hour by police investigators about the corruption allegations. He cooperated with the detectives and denied receiving any monies illegally. The police agreed to limit their initial questioning of Olmert to an hour due to his duties as Prime Minister, but it was made clear that further testimony will be collected from him at a later date.
Police said that, aside from the Prime Minister and Talansky, they have questioned others involved in the case. Among them, the Prime Minister's former Office Director Shula Zaken and Attorney Uri Messer. The investigation is still underway, police officials emphasized, and will continue as long as necessary.