Morris Talansky will once again take the witness stand on Sunday at the Jerusalem District Court, for the second round of an investigation of his having given cash-filled envelopes to former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Talansky will be cross-examined by lawyers of Olmert and Shula Zaken, the former prime minister’s bureau chief.
Talansky agreed to return to testify in an Israeli court after receiving limited immunity from prosecution charges in the United States.
Video: Excerpts from Israel Police probe of Morris Talansky in July 2008 about his dealings with Ehud Olmert.
Attorney General Menachem Mazuz decided to indict Olmert and Zaken four months ago for receiving money from Talansky, a U.S. philanthropist and friend of Olmert.
The indictment order is a result of a criminal investigation of Olmert that began in April 2008. The former Prime Minister is suspected of unlawfully receiving money from Talansky during Olmert’s term as mayor of Jerusalem and as a government minister.
Talansky admitted to giving Olmert envelopes of cash amounting to at least $150,000 over a period of ten years. In a previous deposition, Talansky denied any knowledge that his donations were illegal according to Israeli law.
Olmert claims that all money received by him from Talansky was used solely for his election campaigns.