Yanki Berger, who ran a non-profit organization that operated a series of Haredi educational institutions, pleaded guilty and was convicted today (Tuesday) of tax offenses and was sent to 15 months in prison.
Berger admitted to nine offenses of fraud against the tax authorities, and his admission was also accompanied by three offenses under the Purchase Tax Law.
According to a report On the news1 website, As part of a plea agreement with him, the state dropped the claim that Berger fraudulently received 30 million shekels from it and committed money laundering offenses.
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According to the settlement with Berger, he was fined 172,000 shekels and the state will seize his vehicle, which it had already seized. The association was fined 5,000 shekels, and it was agreed that the remaining funds seized by the state would be used to pay off its debts to the Tax Authority. If there is a surplus, it will be confiscated for the benefit of the state.
Berger managed the association "Vezot Ha-Brahaqah Le-Torah Ve-Tsedakah Yerushalayim", which operated Torah studies, kindergartens, elementary schools, kollel and yeshivot in Jerusalem and in the Haredi city of Beitar Illit.
The original indictment alleged that Berger reported to the Ministry of Education a number of students studying in the Torah Talmud that was two or even three times higher than the actual number - and thus received support of 12 million shekels between 2008 and 2012.
Similarly, it is claimed, the association received 10 million shekels in support for the kindergartens it operated.
This central charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement between the parties. While Berger was under house arrest, he violated his terms and collected details about the then-plaintiff in the case. These offenses are also not reflected in the plea agreement.
Yosef Tzadok, who was accused of aiding Berger in committing the main offenses attributed to him, has already reached a settlement in which he admitted to tax offenses and was sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
Jerusalem District Court Judge Yoram Noam approved the arrangement.
