Avi Lavi
Israel Police has begun investigating attorney Avi Lavi, who
represented former president Moshe Katzav at one point, on suspicion of
laundering $20 million. Lavi fled abroad in June after suspicions against him
arose, and has not returned to Israel since.
The investigation, which is being carried out by Lahav 433,
the police’s umbrella crime-fighting unit, is one branch of a global probe of
allegations that a European crime ring headed by Israelis sold fake art works
worth tens of millions of dollars, defrauded insurance companies and laundered
money.
The investigators noticed that Lavi had cashed checks
totaling roughly $20 million at the check-cashing establishments in Bnei Brak
where the money received for the art works was laundered.
An undercover probe
turned up several sources of large sums of money that were allegedly laundered:
the ring selling the fake art works, a Haredi businessman and the court of
Rabbi David Abuhatzeira of Nahariya. About two weeks ago police questioned
Abuhatzeira’s son, Shlomi, in connection with the case.
In a raid on Lavi’s offices several months ago, police found
a great deal of material, including documents related to the fake art works.
Lavi’s name had been under a gag order until Sunday, when the court lifted the
order.
Lavi’s attorneys, Roy Blecher and Moshe Mazor, told
TheMarker yesterday: “Unfortunately, we cannot elaborate on the reasons why Mr.
Lavi is abroad. He is cooperating with the relevant law-enforcement agencies
through his attorneys. We hope that the conditions enabling his return to
Israel will soon be created.”
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