Israeli prosecutors charge former officials with corruption

JERUSALEM – Israeli prosecutors have charged a former deputy minister and nine others in a corruption sting centred on Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s party.

The Justice Ministry announced Tuesday that 10 suspects in the high-profile case, including former lawmaker Deputy Interior Minister Faina Kirschenbaum, were indicted on charges ranging from bribery to tax evasion.

The charges are the culmination of a prolonged investigation by Israeli police into suspected corruption by members of the hard-line nationalist party.

Last year, the Justice Ministry said it had evidence against 16 members of the Yisrael Beiteinu party. Tuesday’s announcement didn’t include charges against Stas Misezhnikov, a former tourism minister suspected of bribery, breach of trust and drug use.

Lieberman was cleared of charges in a separate corruption case in 2013.