Former Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger was arrested Monday on suspicion of accepting bribes and misappropriating funds. It is the second time the rabbi has been detained on corruption charges. Police suspect that Metzger pocketed millions of shekels belongings to various charities with which he was involved.
National Fraud Unit investigators raided the rabbi's home on Monday morning. He was arraigned before the Rishon Lezion Magistrates' Court on Monday afternoon.
The police believe that the former chief rabbi used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself, his family and his close associates. He is also suspected of laundering millions of shekels by using fictitious invoices.
A police source said Metzger is also suspected of obstruction of justice, as he had tried to dissuade several of his associates from testifying against him or cooperating with the investigation.
The current case relates to several corruption investigations held against Metzger. In June, the rabbi was placed under house arrest in connection with an ongoing bribery, fraud and money-laundering investigation. Three other suspects were arrested as well.
At the time, and following a covert investigation by the National Fraud Unit, the police raided Metzger's home and office. The rabbi was detained and questioned for over 10 hours, after which he was arraigned and remanded to 15 days of house arrest.
Metzger, who was named Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Israel in 2003 at the age of 49, making him the youngest chief rabbi ever appointed, has also come under suspicion previously: In 2005, he was questioned for allegedly receiving illicit benefits amounting to tens of thousands of shekels from the David Citadel Hotel, a luxury hotel in Jerusalem, in the form of free accommodation for himself and his extended family.
The police recommended indicting the rabbi, but Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz decided to close the case, citing insufficient evidence. In his brief on the case, however, Mazuz stated that Metzger was "unsuited for public office."