Oved Ben-Ami, millionaire former Mayor of Netanya, a major shareholder in Maariv and a prominent figure in Likud circles, was arrested Monday on suspicion of embezzlement. A Netanya magistrate ordered him released on ILI million bail which was paid by his son-in-law, former Maariv reporter Eli Landau.
The police representative told the court-that Ben-Ami while Mayor, had founded a trust company to develop the southern outskirts of the city. He himself had had sole control over this company’s accounts, and the police have reason to believe that he took nine checks, worth a total of IL 300,000 for his own use during years 1973-74. The police alleged also that two other checks amounting to IL 32,000 made out to the trust company were deposited by Ben-Ami in his private account.
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