A former military attaché to the Israeli embassy in Bern has been indicted for breach of trust and accepting bribes by the Tel Aviv District Prosecutor’s Office.
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According to the indictment, the attaché helped a Swiss arms dealer to expand his business in Israel and market his military products there without authorisation from his superiors while posted to Switzerland. In return, the Israeli and his wife allegedly received a number of perks.
The colonel served as military attaché to Switzerland between 2002 and 2005 and was in charge of marketing Israeli-made military products to Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. He first met the Swiss businessman in this capacity.
The perks allegedly received by the couple were provided through a company called Talon, founded by the Swiss businessman.
They included free use of a mobile phone, a gift of a Toyota Land Cruiser and some $28,000 (SFr26,000) in salary paid to the woman as a false employee of Talon. Two months after the colonel’s term at the embassy ended, he was appointed Talon’s chief executive.
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