Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert fined $19,170 in criminal case, avoids prison

An Israeli court has fined former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert $19,170 for breach of public trust and given him a one-year suspended sentence, the Jerusalem Post reported.

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The sentencing comes after the Jerusalem District Court in July convicted Olmert over the so-called Investment Center affairs, which allege he granted personal favors to his old law partner Uri Messer during his term as industry, trade and labor minister – before he became prime minister in 2006.

Having avoided both prison time and six months of community service requested by prosecutors, Olmert left the hearing smiling. He said:

"A few weeks ago I told the judges that I wanted to leave court standing tall, and today I leave court standing tall … I learned the lessons of the conviction."

The Post reported that the suspended sentence is conditional on Olmert not committing the same crime over the next three years.

As reported by GlobalPost, in July Olmert was cleared of two major corruption charges involving bribery. He was acquitted of taking bribes from US businessman Joe Almaliah – and of double-billing Israeli charities and the state for fund-raising trips overseas, in cases dubbed Rishon Tours and the Talansky Affair.

However the breach of trust ruling marked the first time a former Israeli prime minister had been convicted in a criminal trial.

According to the BBC, Olmert is now eligible to run for parliament. 

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