The noose tightened around the neck of former Finance Minister Avraham Hirchson (Kadima party) Thursday morning with the conviction of the chief witness in the corruption case against him, a former treasurer for the Histadrut National Federation of Workers (NFW).

 

Ovadia Cohen admitted in Tel Aviv District Court to stealing NIS 10 million from the NFW's subsidiary, Nili, and giving it to Hirchson, who at that time was head of the organization.

 

Cohen pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement, money laundering and false registration of corporate documents in accordance with a plea bargain deal worked out with the District Attorney's office. He was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.

 

Hirchson was indicted on June 4, 2008 on charges of embezzling NIS 2.5 million in funds from the NFW union during the years 1998-2005 in under-the-table monthly stipends of NIS 25,000, "holiday bonuses," junkets abroad and other expenses.

The NFW also allegedly picked up the tab for the former Finance Minister's medication, political campaigns as well as more than NIS 120,000 in restaurant bills during off-work hours and while he was in the Knesset.

 

Included in the indictment were three other senior union officials as well: Amatzia Boner, Tzion Cohen and Yitzchak Ruso.  Just before the Rosh HaShanah holiday on Monday, the court approved a plea bargain in the case against Ronit Garti, a former accountant with the union who is accused of being an accessory in the fraud case against Hirchson.

 

Garti pleaded guilty to falsifying corporate documents and agreed to testify against her former boss in exchange for avoiding a jail term. She will serve six months' community service and a few months' probation instead.