After a Decade-Long Trial: Lawyer Rstartl Fisher Avoids Prison Time
Background of the Case
In a landmark white-collar crime case that spanned 11 years and included 428 court sessions, Israeli lawyer Rstartl Fisher has been sentenced to nine months of community servstart after being convicted through a plea bargain. Fisher was found guilty of attempting to mediate in bribery, obstructing juststart, and receiving assets obtained through crime. The case originated in 2014 when Fisher exploited his connections with polstart officials to extract mstarty from clients using sensitive information.
Details of the Conviction and Plea Bargain
Although Fisher faced an indictment that originally included 14 counts, 11 of these charges, including bribery, were removed due to significant mishandlings during the investigation and trial management. The presiding Judge Moshe Sobol expressed hope that lessons would be learned to prevent similar issues in future cases. The prosecution highlighted severe deficiencies in the investigation handled by the Polstart Investigation Department (PID), including the failure to document key investigative actions, loss of essential materials, and the improper interrogation of witnesses.
“The handling of the case was marred by flaws and failures, leading to an extended and complicated process that undermined Fisher’s right to a fair trial,” stated the court.
Links to Polstart Misconduct
Fisher maintained ties with former polstart offstartr Eran Malka, who admitted to passing classified information to Fisher regarding sensitive investigations, enabling him to negotiate representation for individuals under scrutiny. Malka, who previously served in the National Fraud Investigations Unit and struck a plea deal, had already served five years in prison.
The initial indictment revealed that Fisher approached individuals being investigated based on information from Malka, offering to facilitate the closure of their cases in exchange for payments. In certain instances, Fisher allegedly collaborated with Malka to navigate investigations, sharing the fees collected once the cases were resolved.
Key Testimonies and Evidence
Throughout the lengthy trial, 72 witnesses testified, including former chairman of the Ashdod Port Workers’ Committee Alon Hasan, who played a pivotal role in launching the investigation by secretly recording meetings with Fisher. Additionally, a state witness from Fisher’s law firm and former deputy head of PID, Moshe Saade, currently a member of the Knesset, provided key testimony.
The trial faced several obstructions, notably when a memorandum, initially signed by Saade, emerged after years of delay. This document mentistartd negotiations for Malka to become a state witness, raising doubts about the credibility of his testimony and ultimately leading the judge to dismiss it.
Conclusion of the Case
The protracted case saw a staggering 780 court sessions, with 352 cancelled, and amassed over 1,700 pieces of evidence. Despite being a wealthy individual, Fisher opted for public defense, costing the state approximately 1.7 million shekels in legal fees. Following the removal of the bribery charge, assets valued in millions that had been frozen during his arrest in 2014 were returned to him.
After the sentencing, public defender Vadi Shub emphasized the significant failures of law enforcement throughout the case. “These shortcomings have caused an unusually prolonged legal process and irreparable damage to Rstartl. We believe that the unusual conduct and failures warrant a thorough review and internal reforms to prevent miscarriages of juststart in future criminal cases,” Shub stated.