Petah Tikva Mayor Arrested on Suspicion of Corruption: His Arrest Extended by 6 Days

August 10, 2022   

A month after being detained for questioning in another case: Police arrested Petah Tikva Mayor Rami Greenberg this morning (Wednesday) on suspicion of involvement in a corruption case. His detention was extended until Monday, for fear of disrupting investigation proceedings.

The municipality's CEO and two contractors were also arrested with him.

The offenses attributed to them are bribery, fraud and breach of trust, money laundering, and tax offenses.

At the hearing on the mayor's detention extension at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court, a police representative requested that his detention be extended by nine days. He said at the hearing: "This is a covert investigation that has entered the open phase today, an investigation that began a long time ago with a large number of suspects and participants. From the investigation material collected so far, an evidentiary foundation has been established that raises reasonable suspicion of the crimes attributed to the suspects. In light of the large number of investigative actions that began today, the court is asked to grant the request.".

He said there is an indication that the mayor obstructed investigative procedures.

Greenberg's defense attorney, attorney Ofer Bartal, said at the hearing that this is someone who was a police officer, an officer in the paratroopers, and the last thing he would want is to disrupt an investigation. "They wanted to arrest him specifically on the day of the Likud primaries, because he is a mayor on behalf of the Likud.".

The judge responded: "The arrest was postponed due to the security situation, I was waiting for this arrest.".

According to police suspicions, during the local elections four years ago, interested parties transferred hundreds of thousands of shekels to Greenberg's campaign for mayor. In return, he pledged to promote their business interests after his election.

The investigation into Lahav 433 is being conducted in collaboration with the Tax Authority's Diamond Unit and is being accompanied by the Economic Department of the State Attorney's Office.

לפני חודש עוכב ראש העיר גרינברג לחקירה בחשד להפרת אמונים, סחיטה באיומים, מתן שוחד וקשירת קשר לביצוע פשע ועוד. לאחר החקירה, פרסם ראש העיר פוסט בדף הפייסבוק שלו שבו כתב: "ביום שני בבוקר התבקשתי להגיע באופן עצמאי לחקירה בנושא מסוים. כאזרח שמאמין במערכת אכיפת החוק ומכבד אותה מאד, הגעתי והשבתי לכל השאלות. אין לי מה להסתיר ואני משוכנע כי בסוף הבדיקה הדברים יתבהרו". "לצערי בשליחות הציבורית יש הרבה אינטריגות, שנאה ללא סיבה ורצון של מתחרים רק להכשיל", המשיך גרינברג. "כראש עירייה ביטלתי את עצמי בצורה הכי ברורה ורתמתי את כל כוחי רק למען האינטרס הציבורי. כך אני נוהג כל חיי וכך אנהג תמיד".