JERUSALEM, June 10 (JTA) — Israeli police plan to question senior Israeli politicians about possible links to an alleged member of the Russian mafia. Three Cabinet ministers and five Knesset members — from the Labor, Likud and Yisrael Ba’Aliyah parties — will be questioned for possible ties to Gregory Lerner, a millionaire businessman suspected of involvement in organized crime in Israel and Russia, according to Israeli media reports. Some of the politicians will be questioned under police caution, which means that they are suspected of criminal activities and should consider having a lawyer present. Police Commissioner Assaf Hefetz said investigators want to verify whether the politicians were aware of Lerner’s alleged involvement in criminal activities. Lerner, also known as Gad Ben-Ari, is suspected of involvement in fraud, connection to assassinations by organized crime figures in Russia and trying to bribe public officials. A prosecutor from Moscow arrived in Israel this week to question Lerner about allegations pending against him in Russia.
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