Beni Steinmetz
Israeli police detained the billionaire Beni Steinmetz on suspicion of money laundering. It is reported by The Jerusalem Post.
He was also charged with fraud, bribery, obstruction of justice, and several others. It clarifies the issue, Steinmetz for several years is under investigation on charges of illegal real estate transactions in the West African nation of Guinea.
Now investigators are inclined to believe that Steinmetz and a few other Israeli entrepreneurs have systematically paid bribes to senior officials in Guinea for a total amount of tens of millions of dollars. The police said that the investigation is conducted not only Israeli intelligence but also their colleagues from Switzerland and the USA.
In December of last year the businessman was placed under house arrest because of suspicions of bribery in some African countries to support the activities of the company-owned BSG Resources. But two weeks later he was released without charges.
Steinmetz is one of the five Israeli billionaire who made his fortune in the diamond trade, as well as on the extraction of copper, cobalt, iron ore and alumina in various African States.