Israel checking French tycoon's claim he funded Netanyahu
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Israeli authorities are looking into a French tycoon's claim he gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 1 million euros — or more than $1.1 million.
The attorney general's office said on Monday that it's probing Arnaut Mimran's testimony in France that he funded one of Netanyahu's election campaigns. If true, such a sum would violate Israel's campaign finance laws.
Mimran is the key suspect in a carbon tax fraud case in France. He and others are accused of defrauding the state of 283 million euros in sales taxes.
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The Israeli prime minister's office did not deny there was a contribution, but said any money received by Netanyahu was done lawfully while he was a private citizen, and not part of any election campaign donation.