Indictment Filed Against Organized Crime Boss "Asi Abutbul"

On April 5th, 2007 in Tel Aviv, Israel an indictment was filed against "Asi Abutbul" who is a known boss for a organized criminal network. Asi and 23 others had charges brought against them Friday morning in Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, charging them with 21 different counts including bribery, arsenal, and affiliation with organized crime. The indictment is unusual because of the number of charges against the defendants, who prosecutors say make up one of the largest crime organizations in Israel.
The charges mainly stem from suspected blackmailing of some thirty businesses and French immigrants. The Court also claims that the defendants organized themselves in a systematic and hierarchic manner from 2005 until their arrest in March 2007.
The charges also claim that "Abutbul managed the organization, ordered those under him and directed their activities, all in order to promote the organization's criminal activity. The defendant decided, in accordance with intelligence he received, which businessmen to forcefully bribe and the amount to blackmail them with."
A trial date has not yet been set.