A Chernovitz court in the Soviet Union has sentenced six Jews to death, and given prison terms to nine others, on charges of speculation in gold and foreign currency, the Moscow radio announced today. Sentencing followed conviction after a two-week trial, according to the Soviet newspaper Pravda Ukrainy, which had noted that many of the 150, 000 Jews of Chernovitz have relatives abroad, All personal property of the 15 defendants was ordered confiscated. The six sentenced to die were to be executed by shooting.
The indictment charged that 55 pounds of gold ingots, diamonds and foreign currency were found in possession of members of the alleged ring. One of the defendants was an 81-year-old man, Alter Bronstein, who was accused of currency dealings amounting to more than $100, 000. He was one of the six sentenced to die. The other five were listed as Yefim Margoshes, Moishe Meyer Zayats, Srul Zimilevich, Isaak Ronis and Felika Mester. (It was believed in London that the death sentences were carried out before the Moscow radio announcement.)
Those sentenced to varying prison terms were Hersh Shternberg, Esther Weinbern, Enzel Koifman, Samuil Levantal, Mendal Flomenboim, Hersh Nagel, Leonid Sherman and Yankel Kohen. The name of the 15th defendant was not publicized.
The indictment accused the defendants of having had contacts in Moscow, Lvov, Kiev, Kishinev, Minsk and Brest, all cities with large Jewish populations. Chernovitz is a city in Bukovina, which was annexed by the Soviet Ukraine after World War II.
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