Haarez The Marker
Shuky Shade
October 15,2013
The Israel Tax
Authority recently renewed its investigation of the Jackob (Kobe) Maimon’s
case. Authority suspects that Maimon is
a the real owner and control of the EQUITAL’s public companies group - including Isramco, Airport City, NITSBA – and not as the group
is presenting, that the group owned by Haim
Tsuff thru United Kingsway, a company registered in the Bahamas.
According to the company's public reports to Tel Aviv stock
exchange (TASE), United Kingsway is owned by Haim Tsuff, a Dutch resident, and therefore is not obliged to give tax
returns and report to the Israeli Tax Authority.
The Authority
suspects that unlike the formal registration, Maimon is the real share holder in
the company.
In addition, the Authority suspects that Maimon is using foreign
residents that associated with him to: control and own some private companies
in Israel, run businesses on a significant scale, and act as straw
persons owning land in Petah Tikva, Hadera
and Kfar Shmaryahu.
The Investigation did not settle within Israel but also relates
to the question of Maimon actions abroad.
According to recorded testimony of a person who was privy to
things and The Marker received,
Maimon’s plan was to stay abroad for four years, so he will not be considered a resident of Israel and
therefore will not be required by law to
report the Tax Authority in Israel.
Then he planned to return to Israel ,and declare that while
he was not a resident of Israel (and not have to pay state taxes) he earned
fortune abroad. With this fortune/capital he planed to return from abroad
and to acquire control of EQUITAL from Tsuff.
Authority officials confirmed that there is an open
investigation operations against Maimon, adding that the investigation was
opened in 2010, and never closed.
That same year the
Tax Authority conducted an investigation integrated with the Securities
Authority and the Israel Police. Shortly after the investigation began, Maimon announced that
he resigned from all of his rolls in the public companies of EQUITAL group and left
Israel.
The investigation was
suspended after David Vanunu, who conducted the investigation in the Tax
Authority, was arrested and eventually convicted of corruption and bribery; he is currently serving a prison sentence.
The decision to renew the investigation was made following
new information in the Tax Authority in recent months, which strengthened the
authority estimates that Maimon is the real owner
of substantial property - without explaining the source of his money to
accumulated assets.
EQUITAL control is questionable since the mid-90s, when
Maimon and Tsuff took control of Israel
Credit Lines, the parent company of EQUITAL.
Over the years Maimon was associated with the control of the
Equital companies, he served as the chairman, and the companies were owned by
Tsuff.
The ownership Question was reinforced in 2009, after it was
revealed, that Tamar gas field, which holds 28% by ISRAMCO, (one of the Equital's group corporation), is a worth billions/yr.
For years and Maimon
and Tsuff address the identity of the control
group by referring to a spokesmen who used to refer to the reports on the stock
exchange , where Tsuff is registered as the control shareholder of the companies.
In an interview to “Haaretz the Marker” on June
2011 Tsuff addressed this issue for the first time : "I am a Dutch citizen
and the property is in my tax reports in the Netherlands. If I move the control
to someone, it will become a tax event. During All the those years we
reported the Israeli Securities Authority that I am the controlling shareholder. Maimon was a good chairman, but he is
just an employee."
At that time Tsuff also addressed Maimon’s departure of
Israel and his resignation of EQUITAL business ( unpublished things in an
interview). "He is abroad , traveled to make money for himself ,"
said Tsuff" but we will do all the efforts, with the Livnat family (partner EQUITAL,
WH), to return Maimon it to the group. Beyond that, there is nothing in
holdings with me."
The tax authority 's
response: "We do not usually provide details on matters of investigation."
הם ניצלו מקלטי מס כדי להוציא כספים שלא כדין מחברות בישראל 
המידע שהובא ל-News1 מגלה: קובי מימון הוא בעל השליטה האמיתי בקבוצת ישראמקו
