“Looks like a formal criminal probe into the economic ties, interests and conflict of interests between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cousin Nathan Milikowsky is inevitable,” a senior Israeli law enforcement official told Al-Monitor, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Such a decision is not possible before the [April 9] elections, but in light of the information gathered recently, a complex and troubling picture emerges that requires thorough examination,” the official added. “Authorities in the United States might also have to investigate the case from their angle,” he concluded.
Indeed, the Federal Securities and Exchange Commission might feel the need to launch a probe into Milikowsky and Netanyahu’s business dealings. “Right now, it is unclear how Netanyahu bought SeaDrift stocks, with whose money and from whom,” said the law enforcement source. “What was the role of his cousin, who was a majority stockholder in the company, and why did Netanyahu pay a significantly lower sum than other buyers …, an absurd value compared to its revenues that year?”