JERUSALEM, March 31 (JTA) — Israel’s military parole board has reversed an earlier decision to allow the early release of a former Air Force general who was convicted of embezzling $12 million. Former Brig. Gen. Rami Dotan has served seven years in jail after pleading guilty in March 1991 to 12 counts, including fraud, taking bribes and breach of public trust in connection to arms purchases from the United States. According to his conviction, Dotan, who was overseeing military procurements from the United States, reported higher purchase prices than the actual costs and pocketed the differences. Some of the purchases were made with funds provided by U.S. military assistance to Israel. Under the terms of a plea bargain, he was demoted to the rank of private and sentenced to 13 years in prison. The parole board decided last year to grant him early release, citing
two minor strokes Dotan had suffered and what it called his chronically ill status. That decision caused a public outcry and prompted the High Court of Justice to direct the board to reconsider its move. The board reversed itself this week, saying a medical expert had concluded that Dotan had never suffered the strokes. Dotan’s lawyer contested the decision, maintaining that the expert had not even read the medical report on his client’s condition.
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