According to state's witness Miki Ganor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal attorney and cousin David Shimron was set to make $9 million off a now-suspended 2015 defense deal between Israel and German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, Channel 2 News and Channel 10 News reported Sunday. Ganor, the former Israeli representative for ThyssenKrupp, reportedly claimed that he was set to make $45 million off Israel's purchase of three submarines and four missile boats from ThyssenKrupp, with Shimron earning 20% of that amount ($9 million). Shimron rejected the claim, arguing that he merely served as Ganor's attorney and that he was set to receive a fee for his legal services. Shimron's attorneys Jacob Weinroth and Amit Hadad blasted Ganor's testimony in a statement: "The claims you have raised are just so divorced from the truth, and thus it would be beyond the pale to have a state's witness make such allegations to the police. In any event, throughout the entire period in which Shimron represented Miki Ganor, he acted as an attorney and all of his actions were lawful." The investigation, dubbed Case 3,000, centers on a possible conflict of interest surrounding Israel's 2015 deal to procure three submarines and four missile boats from the German conglomerate. Investigators believed that Ganor, while serving as ThyssenKrupp's representative in Israel, bribed various officials and engaged in other improprieties in order to help finalize a deal with the German company. Ganor is accused of committing fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit a crime, and he no longer serves as ThyssenKrupp's representative in Israel. The deal was recently suspended by the Germans due to the recent revelations. Former Israel Navy Commander Vice Adm. (ret.) Eliezer Marom was also named a suspect in the case. The police allege that during his term as navy chief, Marom conditioned a 2009 submarine deal on a demand that Ganor replace ThyssenKrupp's previous representative in Israel Yeshayahu Bareket, a retired Israeli Air Force officer. The police are also investigating suspicions that Marom abused his position as navy commander and his ties with ThyssenKrupp. Ganor's lawyer and right-hand man Ronen Shemer is also accused of shredding documents pertaining to the dubious transactions. Ganor signed a state's witness agreement and has been released to a police facility. As part of his state's witness agreement, Ganor will be sentenced to one year in prison and will pay a 10 million shekel ($2.8 million) fine. In addition, due to the many tax offenses he committed, he is likely to face indictment by the Israel Tax Authority. Although the agreements were made by the State Attorney's Office, Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, the police and Ganor's defense team, the plea bargain requires court approval. Ganor has further been forbidden access to the media for two weeks' time. While he will be able to watch TV and receive family visits, Ganor is barred from leaving the country for a period of 90 days, nor is he allowed to make contact with those allegedly involved in the affair for 60 days. Ganor posted a bond of 500,000 shekels ($141,000) to obtain the conditions.
State's witness: PM's lawyer was to make millions off submarine deal
German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp's former agent in Israel, Miki Ganor, says he planned to share 20% of $45 million commission with attorney David Shimron as part of illicit defense procurement scheme • Shimron's lawyers: All his actions were lawful.
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