Interior Minister and Shas leader Aryeh Deri, who is once again at the center of a corruption investigation only a year after being sworn into the government anew, has a long history of trouble with the law. Twenty-six years ago, an investigation was launched into Deri's personal and public life due to allegations of corruption. He was eventually convicted of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and sentenced to four years in prison. The court determined that he was guilty of crimes involving moral turpitude. After serving his sentence, he returned to politics, most recently as interior minister. With another investigation underway, this time by Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, the following time line will provide the sequence of events since suspicions first surfaced against Deri 26 years ago. 1990: A police investigation is launched on suspicion of corruption. Deri remains silent throughout the investigation. 1992: The suspicions lead to two criminal cases. The prosecution decides to wait for a ruling on the first case and to postpone the second. 1993: Deri resigns from the government, waives his right to immunity, but stays on as Shas leader. Shas claims that he is being targeted because of his ethnic origin (Deri is Moroccan-born). 1999: The Jerusalem District Court sentences Deri to four years in prison and a 250,000 shekel (then around $61,000) fine in the first case for several instances of accepting bribes, fraud, breach of trust and obtaining by fraud under aggravating circumstances. The court further determines that Deri committed crimes involving moral turpitude. 2000: The Supreme Court rejects the majority of clauses in the appeal filed by Deri, accepting a single clause. His sentence is shortened by one year. Late Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef declares Deri innocent. Yosef later removes Deri as head of the party. 2002: Deri is released from prison. 2003: The Supreme Court rejects Deri's petition for an additional hearing to review the claim that he "was framed." Deri's second corruption case begins. He is suspected of transferring funds from the Interior Ministry to haredi organizations with ties to Shas in breach of administration guidelines and regulations, conflict of interest and disregarding the considerations of local authorities. Deri is convicted of breach of trust (transferring 400,000 shekels to an organization run by his brother) and acquitted on four out of five charges. He is sentenced to a three-month suspended sentence and a 10,000 shekel fine. Meanwhile, the Bar-On scandal (1996-1997) investigation and sentencing against several political figures takes place, but then-Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein decides not to charge Deri, despite apparently finding evidence of criminal behavior, due to his imprisonment and resignation from political life. 2010: Deri seems to admit that he was not framed. 2015: Deri is once again appointed as a government minister. 2016: Attorney General Mendelblit approves a "review" (not yet a criminal investigation) in light of serious suspicions apparently tied to Deri. According to attorney Eliad Shraga, head of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which petitioned against Deri's appointment as interior minister, his organization approached the attorney general and state comptroller about six months ago requesting that they look into several issues, some of which are now under review. Some 75,000 people have signed the group's petition to stop Deri from serving as interior minister. Shraga says that his organization will again approach the attorney general with a request to update the High Court judges regarding the investigation and the suspicions involved.
