Ex-Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger Arrested for Million-Dollar Bribes
Image by getty images
Former Israeli chief rabbi Yona Metzger was arrested on suspicion that he received bribes, as well as committed money laundering and fraud, during his time as Ashkenazi chief rabbi.
Metzger was arrested Monday, following a several-month-long investigation. A Petah Tikvah court remanded to police custody for nine days.
The Israel Police National Fraud squad believes Metzger accepted monetary and material bribes in exchange for advancing the interests of several non-profit organizations. The amount of the bribes equals several million shekels, according to reports. Metzger also is accused of trying to silence witnesses and interfere in the investigation, according to reports.
Metzger was questioned about the case in June, at the end of his stint as chief rabbi. He was placed under house arrest at the time.
Metzger served as chief rabbi from 2003 until earlier this year.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
