Israeli Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit has ordered a review of possibly non-reported millions in funds transferred from French billionaire Arnaut (Arno) Mimran to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of the 2009 elections, Justice Ministry statement confermed on Sunday.
The Frach billionaire has been testifying in a fraud case against him in France for failing to report the fund transfers.
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Mandelblit’s order means there will now be an initial review to determine if there should be a criminal investigation into whether any Israeli laws were violated.
The trial of Mimran will begin in Paris on May 2.
In a series of articles to be published over the coming weeks, whose details were shared with Haaretz, Mediapart, a French online investigative and opinion journal will claim that the first name mentioned was Israel’s prime minister.
“From the evidence I have collected it is clear the Mimran family regularly donated money to the Likud movement in France, and Arnaud Mimran took care to tirelessly cultivate this connection, ” Arfi wrote, according Israeli website Haaretz.
Prime Minister’s Office said on Monday in a statement Benjamin Netanyahu received $40, 000 in 2001 from Arno Mimran, noting he was not in office at the time.
