Scandal: Prof. Grotto Peter Tycoon from isolation - Edelstein is seething with rage

June 10, 2020   

Billionaire Teddy Sagi landed in Israel last week on his private plane from Cyprus, but instead of staying in quarantine, as required by the Health Ministry's guidelines, he arrived to celebrate at a party with singer Omer Adam - while carrying the approval of a senior official in the Health Ministry. This was revealed this evening (Wednesday) on Channel 12. That same evening, the billionaire returned to Cyprus, where he moved to live last year with his family. The affair was revealed when senior officials in the Health Ministry considered filing a police complaint against him for violating quarantine, an offense for which a fine of 5,000 shekels is expected. However, Sagi, whose fortune is estimated at about $5 billion, claimed that he received approval for this from Professor Itamar Grotto, the Deputy Director General of the Health Ministry. An investigation by Channel 12 revealed that the tycoon first contacted the outgoing Director General of the Health Ministry, Moshe Bar Siman Tov - and received a refusal. But he did not give up: he contacted Professor Grotto - from whom he received approval in accordance with his request. Teddy Sagi's representative stated: "Teddy Sagi arrived in Israel legally and acted legally according to the appropriate instructions he received." The Health Ministry stated this evening that granting the approval was a mistake: "This is a serious error in judgment and an investigation will be conducted into the matter." Health Minister Yuli Edelstein tonight instructed his office's Director General, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, to conduct an investigation with the Deputy Director General. He also ordered that the matter be examined using all disciplinary tools at his disposal. "The minister expects to receive answers from the investigation as early as tomorrow," the minister's office stated. Edelstein said: "Especially at a time when there is a great effort to explain to the public the importance of complying with the Ministry of Health's instructions and when we are calling for increased enforcement, it is impossible for there to be exemptions from isolation that would endanger public health. This is a serious breach of public trust and a serious error in judgment. In such cases, I will not be lenient." The Movement for Quality Government: "Beyond the fact that this is a serious ethical failure, this is a public health risk by the person directly in charge of the issue. Prof. Grotto should lay down the keys tonight.".