Two government officials, a coin dealer and a bank manager have been charged with fraud and forgery in connection with a transaction for the purchase of coins and commemorative medals a year ago. The accused are Yitzhak Avni, director of the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corp., his deputy Yisrael Zedka, Yosef Amir, director of Kidum, a private firm dealing in coins and Menachem Margoshes, manager of a Tel Aviv branch of the Mizrachi Bank.
The charges concern an IL 2.7 million order for coins from Amir received by the Coins and Medals Corp. on June 28, 1976, three days before the corporation raised its prices by 20 percent. Amir was charged the old price even though he failed to furnish the required bank guarantee before the higher prices went into effect on July 1. He also avoided paying the added value tax that went into effect on that date.
The board of directors of the Coins and Medals Corp, asked for an investigation of possible forgery by Avni and Amir to make it appear that the bank guarantee was submitted before July 1.
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