国际英语新闻：Former Israeli PM Olmert indicted on corruption charges

JERUSALEM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was indicted Sunday afternoon over alleged corruption affairs.

The indictment, filed by the State Prosecutor's Office, focuses on three cases allegedly conducted when Olmert was Jerusalem mayor and trade minister, local news service Ynet reported.

File photo taken on Jan. 17, 2009 shows then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was indicted on August 30 on corruption charges

    The former prime minister is suspected of accepting cash envelopes from American businessman Morris Talansky, double-billing for the same trips from various noNPRofit and state agencies, and arranging investment opportunities for a former confidant.

    The charges facing Olmert include fraud, breach of trust and failure to report income, local daily Ha'aretz quoted the Justice Ministry as saying in a statement.

U.S. businessman Morris Talansky (L) appears at the centre of a bribery case against former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in Jerusalem District Court on June 28, 2009 to resume his testimony

Olmert, forced to resign last year in the midst of a series of corruption and fraud allegations against him, had denied any wrongdoing in all the cases.

    Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz last month decided to close a case against the former prime minister over his purchase of an upscale house in Jerusalem due to lack of evidence.