Israel – An Israeli court on Thursday sentenced a former mayor of Jerusalem to six years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging corruption case that also involved ex-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
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The Tel Aviv District Court handed down the sentence to Uri Lupolianski, who was convicted earlier this year of accepting bribes in a controversial Jerusalem real estate project. Lupolianski, who can appeal, was also ordered to pay a fine of 500,000 Israeli shekels, or about $142,800.
His sentencing comes a month after Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in the same case. The former prime minister was among other government officials, developers and businesspeople charged in three separate schemes related to a housing development in Jerusalem.
According to the original 2012 indictment, millions of dollars illegally changed hands to promote a series of real estate projects, including the “Holyland” housing development, which required a radical change in zoning laws and earned the developers tax breaks and other benefits. The hilltop development, resembling a large fortress, is a frequent target of criticism because of its hulking appearance. Olmert has vowed to appeal but was ordered to report to prison on Sept. 1.
Lupolianski, who succeeded Olmert as mayor, is also to start his prison term on the same date.
I thought they were going to take into consideration both the fact that he is unwell and the fact that he didn’t have any personal gain from any of this bribe money ( it went to a large charity that he oversees). Giving him 6 years seems rather harsh – its the same that they have the omlett guy (Olmert). A sad day to see a person that has really done a lot of good in his life to have to go to prison.
Ouch so sad
Another day, another corrupt chareidi politician goes to jail. Ho hum. We get the leaders we deserve.
to #1
in case you forgot the definition of stolen money it means money taken without the owner’s permission …….it does not matter what the thief does with it……..if charities/ yeshivot benefited from the stolen money they should give it back (& that will happen the same day hell freezes over)
Cruel sentencing when he didn’t take a penny for himself.
On the judge I’d say “Hasheten Ala Lo Larosh”….
In the middle east nothing gets done without a bakshish.
If Rubashkin can get 27 years and he was no mayor, what’s so terrible about 6 years?
bribery is stolen money. He stole from the public by approving something wrongly, by approving something that would otherwise not have happened. In effect he sold his office for the money. He is paid a salary and that is all he should get. As for giving it charity. Big deal. It wasn’t his to give. And he did get honor and influence in return for his charity gift.
If he wanted to give charity, he could have given away his own home.