One of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's workers faces charges in the Rishon Tours Affair, state prosecutors reported Monday. The worker, Rachel Raz-Risbi, served as Olmert's travel coordinator.
Raz-Risbi will be charged with being an accomplice to fraud for allegedly booking Olmert's travel at the expense of the state and other public institutions in a deceitful and fraudulent manner.
Prosecutors rejected arguments put forth by Raz-Risbi's attorney, who said in a recent hearing that investigators had not informed Raz-Risbi that she could face charges, thus violating her right to be warned against self-incrimination. In addition, he argued that his client had been unfairly singled out for punishment among several people involved in the affair.
Raz-Risbi was not singled out in a discriminatory manner; rather, she was singled out because police managed to gather solid evidence against her, prosecutors said.
The indictment will be the first filed in the affair, which involves allegations that Olmert double-charged for trips abroad while serving first as mayor of Jerusalem and then as a minister. Police have expressed confidence that they will gather enough evidence to indict the former prime minister as well.
Olmert allegedly gathered more than $85,000 by double and triple-charging for flights with help from Raz-Risbi and office manager Shula Zaken. The money was used to fund trips for his family and to upgrade his seating on flights, investigators say.
Raz-Risbi's testimony more than one year ago led police to open a formal investigation into the Rishon Tours case. She was able to provide investigators with documents proving that double billing took place, and that Olmert was personally involved in the shady travel arrangements.