London "Telegraph", June 7, 1997
Israeli ambitions of 'Mafia
boss'
Russian-Jew Seized Before Boarding Flight for
America
By Anton La Guardia, in Jerusalem
An alleged boss of the Russian mafia, under arrest in Israel on
charges of murder and fraud, is suspected of trying to buy political
influence and even seeking to be appointed an Israeli government
minister.
Grigory Lerner, a multi-millionaire businessman who took the
Hebrew name of Tzi Ben-Ari, has been held for nearly a month. The
charges include defrauding Russian banks of more than $75 million,
organising the murder of a Russian banker and attempting to murder
others, and falsifying his documents to obtain Israeli
citizenship.
The Hebrew daily "Yediot Ahronot" reported yesterday that police
had tapped phone conversations in which Lerner said he planned to run
in the Likud Party's primaries, become an MP at the next elections
and be appointed a cabinet minister. Lerner's arrest is bringing to
light evidence that members of Russian criminal gangs are trying to
obtain political influence. In 1995, police issued a warning that the
Russian mafia was trying to infiltrate Israel's political system.
The police charges against Lerner are the most serious assault so
far on Russian organised criminals, who are thought to use Israel as
a base for laundering illegal funds. Lerner was known in Russian
immigrant circles as a generous benefactor.
Natan Sharansky, the Trade Minister...admitted that he received
about $85,000 from Lerner in 1994 for a charity helping Russian
immigrants.
Lerner, 46, emigrated to Israel in 1989. Two years later he was
arrested in Switzerland at the request of the Russian police and
extradited to Moscow, where he was acquitted of charges of fraud.
Russian newspapers said he served two years in jail on similar
charges in 1982.
When arrested last month, just before boarding a flight for
America, Israeli police said Lerner had been carrying more than
$50,000 in cash and two satellite telephones. In a series of raids,
police seized about $400,000 in cash, an unlicensed rifle with
telescopic sight, two forged passports and computer equipment. On
Thursday, he was remanded in custody for a further five days.
