Police commander accused of taking Rabbi Pinto bribes commits suicide

Ephraim Bracha, head of the Israel Police National Fraud Investigation Unit and a central figure in the corruption scandal involving Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, committed suicide overnight Saturday.

Bracha testified that Pinto offered him bribes in exchange for information about other investigations. And last April, Pinto admitted in court to bribing Bracha as part of a plea bargain, according to Haaretz.

Recently, Israel Police were reportedly investigating claims that Bracha had passed information along to suspects targeted by other investigations.

Pinto was arrested after millions of dollars connected to his real estate investments disappeared. [Haaretz] –Christopher Cameron