News

Advanced Search

Leviev Employee Reportedly Commits Suicide

Nov 21, 2018 8:17 AM   By Rapaport News
Comment Comment Email Email Print Print Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Share Share


RAPAPORT...
 A bookkeeper at Lev Leviev’s diamond business jumped to her death from the company’s office at the Israel Diamond Exchange on Tuesday, according to local media.

The 42-year-old woman had been questioned by police in an investigation into an alleged crime ring at LLD Diamonds, Globes reported. She was one of nine employees of the firm arrested since the probe began, the report said.

“We received with shock and deep sadness the announcement of this difficult loss of a company employee,” LLD said in a statement reported by Globes. “We will take every possible action in our power to assist in the investigation of her death, and in order to put an end to this difficult situation, in which the rights of the suspects are being trampled on, causing irreversible damage, out of a desire to make media headlines.”

The operation first came to light when authorities apprehended a diamond smuggler at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport earlier this year. After questioning him, as well as a second suspect, police believed they had uncovered a vast diamond-smuggling operation at the company. They subsequently detained nine people including Leviev’s son and brother, and have released some of them, Globes said.

Israeli police declined to comment on details of the probe, but said there were “material inaccuracies” in an “announcement published on behalf of the company involved in the police investigation.”

“The Israel Police constantly acts with the required sensitivity, while strictly observing the dignity and rights of suspects and those under interrogation, alongside taking various investigative actions intended to bring perpetrators to justice,” a police spokesperson told Rapaport News Tuesday.

“We regret the tragic results of the event that took place at the Ramat Gan diamond exchange,” the spokesperson added.

Israeli authorities want to question Lev Leviev about the smuggling operation as well, but he is currently outside the country, according to reports.

Image: The Israel Diamond Exchange. (Rapaport News)
Tags: Israel Diamond Exchange, Lev Leviev, Leviev, Rapaport News
Similar Articles
Comments: (0)  Add comment Add Comment
Arrange Comments Last to First