NY grand jury considers indicting Talansky on bribery charges

US Justice Department spokesman declines to comment on the status of the Talansky investigation.

By ALLISON HOFFMAN, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK
Talansky court 248.88 (photo credit: AP [file])
Talansky court 248.88
(photo credit: AP [file])
A federal grand jury in New York is considering indicting Long Island financier Morris Talansky on bribery charges, New York magazine reported Friday. The weekly cited unnamed sources who claimed Talansky is being investigated on suspicion of tax evasion, money laundering and bribing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash - all based on the financier's testimony in Jerusalem District Court last year. Olmert, who is the target of several corruption investigations, has not yet been charged with any crime and has denied any criminal activity. The Israel Police recommended on September 7 that he be charged with bribery, breach of public trust, money laundering and fraudulent receipt of goods. A US Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on the status of the Talansky investigation. Talansky's attorney, Bradley Simon, did not immediately respond to messages left seeking comment. He told New York magazine that it was "patently unfair" for prosecutors to use foreign [Talansky's in Jerusalem] testimony as the basis for prosecution, but declined to comment on whether Talansky had been offered a plea deal by prosecutors.