Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, who has been accused of obstruction of justice in a corruption case in the U.S., is once again in hot water for his alleged efforts to stifle the investigation against him. The new twist involves Maj. Gen. Menashe Arbiv, the commander of Lahav 433, the Israel Police's anti-corruption unit. Arbiv allegedly received certain favors from Pinto when he served as the Israel Police's attach in the U.S. The Israel Police's internal affairs unit believes Pinto's conduct compromised the ongoing investigation against him. Arbiv has yet to be questioned on the matter. Pinto has ties with businessmen and celebrities in Israel and abroad. Some of Israel's prominent tycoons have sought his advice on various matters. This is the second instance in which Pinto has been accused of trying to influence the conduct of a senior police officer. In October 2012, Pinto and his wife were arrested and questioned under caution for allegedly trying bribe Brig. Gen. Ephraim Bracha, who was the head of the Israel Police's fraud unit. Bracha had been investigating Pinto for campaign finance violations in the U.S. Law enforcement authorities suspect Pinto was part of a scheme to raise funds for U.S. Congressman Michael Grimm's campaign. On Wednesday, the Justice Ministry denied that the investigation against Pinto had been closed, as some reports suggested last week. During his October 2012 questioning, Pinto said he told the FBI he had transferred funds to Bracha and that another police officer was aware of this transaction. On Wednesday, Arbiv met with Israel Police Commissioner Insp. Gen. Yohanan Danino, who approved his request to go on leave. Following the meeting, Arbiv released a statement saying that "the allegations are libelous and seek to harm my reputation; I believe a speedy and efficient review will be conducted after which the truth will come out and my record will have been expunged." Danino echoed his comments, saying "it would be best to let the proper authorities do their job in full before we determine an individual's fate." In the wake of the new revelations, Pinto sent a letter to his followers: "Dear brothers, these dire straits were created through no fault of our own; they were a result of narrow-mindedness, cruelty, harassment and other deeds, which will be discussed at the proper forum." After Bracha told his superiors that Pinto allegedly tried to bribe him, he was instructed to confront the rabbi and record another such attempt. Associates of Bracha said he and Pinto had known each other for many years, and that the rabbi had provided Bracha with financial assistance after the latter experienced some hardships. Although the Israel Police favored indicting Pinto over his interaction with Bracha, the State Attorney's Office has yet to decide on the matter. In light of the latest twist, the case will be further reviewed. According to an unconfirmed report, an Israeli who has recently arrived from the U.S. will testify against Pinto and will try to tie him to the alleged campaign finance violations in the U.S. The witness is expected to tell investigators that some of the money he had raised for Grimm originated with money that was collected on behalf of Pinto. Authorities believe some $300,000 worth of donations, allegedly collected through Pinto's associates at a Manhattan synagogue, were improperly channeled to Grimm's campaign. A statement released by Pinto's attorneys Wednesday said, "There are some things for which silence is golden; we are going to let law enforcement do its job; we assume that things will become clear in the coming days."
