Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit decided on Tuesday evening to indict Likud MK David Bitan on a raft of corruption offenses allegedly committed while serving as a lawmaker in the Knesset.
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Bitan, formerly the coalition chair in former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, was charged with accepting bribes, breach of trust and tax offenses in seven different cases. They were allegedly committed while he served as a councilman in the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion and a member of the Knesset.
Bitan allegedly accepted over NIS 715,000 ($200,000) in bribes while serving in public office. Other people charged in the cases include a Tel Aviv deputy mayor and former Israeli soccer player Haim Revivo.
As a sitting member of the Knesset, Bitan has 30 days to request immunity from prosecution from parliament. Bitan's attorneys said in a statement that the court would find he committed no wrongdoing.
As a reminder, last March the Israel Police recommended indicting Bitan, among other things for accepting bribes, money laundering and tax offenses.
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