ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Women’s Advancement Minister May Golan (Likud) will be questioned on suspicion of aggravated bribery and receiving benefits, N12 News reported on Friday.

She received her summons for Sunday while picking up her mother from the police station.

“We have a solid basis and quite a bit of evidence leading us to the conclusion that the minister received bribes and benefits,” a senior police officer told N12.

Golan was initially questioned for suspicion of breach of trust and fraudulent activity.

She is also suspected of obstructing the investigation, interfering with, and hindering a police officer on duty, based on her conduct in court and at a Tel Aviv Police station.

SOCIAL EQUALITY and Women’s Advancement Minister May Golan attends a meeting of the Knesset plenum earlier this year. Recently, she delivered an address in which she sought to defend Michael Ben-Ari, an avowed Meir Kahane supporter who was disqualified from running for the Knesset.
SOCIAL EQUALITY and Women’s Advancement Minister May Golan attends a meeting of the Knesset plenum earlier this year. Recently, she delivered an address in which she sought to defend Michael Ben-Ari, an avowed Meir Kahane supporter who was disqualified from running for the Knesset. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

May Golan investigated on fradulent activity charges 

Golan allegedly used office funds and resources for activities that did not fall under her responsibilities, such as having staff members drive her mother around, buying her a shwarma sandwich, and running errands for the minister, as well as delivering personal gifts to her friends.

The initial investigation of fraudulent activity and suspicion of breach of trust was prompted by a Channel 12 report in January that unearthed allegations against the minister of mismanagement of funds and securing positions through favoritism. The undercover police investigation was made public on Monday.

On Thursday, she smuggled her mother, Rimona Golan, 80, out of Lahav 433 during her questioning.

Golan's office claimed that Rimona was interviewed for over an hour, which caused her to start shaking involuntarily.  The Likud minister "immediately took her home to recover and called a doctor for her."

“We were struck by the minister’s behavior during her mother’s interrogation. She simply came to make sure her mother stayed silent and didn’t incriminate her. This is the behavior of criminals, shielded by the immunity the minister holds," a senior official involved in the investigation told N12.

In response, Golan said that she would arrive at the questioning, as promised, “once all the people whose only crime was their closeness to me are released. As I said, I have nothing to hide in the face of all the lies and fabrications.”

Sarah Ben-Nun and Keshet Neev contributed to this report.