Israel detains diamond magnate Beny Steinmetz in money laundering probe
Jerusalem — Israeli police on Monday detained diamond magnate Beny Steinmetz and four others as part of an international money laundering investigation, authorities said. Tal Silberstein, an adviser to Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, was also among those detained, as was the acting chairman of Israeli telecommunications firm Bezeq. It was the second time Steinmetz had been detained by Israeli authorities since December, when he was placed under house arrest as part of a corruption probe involving mining deals in Guinea. Besides the Guinea investigation, the Israeli billionaire was charged in Romania last year with forming an organised criminal group and money laundering in a property-related case that cost the state $145m. Israeli police said five suspects had been detained on Monday morning for questioning on suspicions including money laundering, fraud, forgery, obstruction of justice and bribery. Homes and offices were also searched. The suspects were not named in the stateme...
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