It was further argued that the defendant did not control all of the aforementioned corporations, and beyond providing various and varied services, he had no practical ability to control or direct the activities of the companies. Therefore, defendant 1 was not responsible for failing to keep books, or for submitting false reports to the tax authorities.
As stated, defendant 1 confirms that he printed, with authority and permission, invoices of the Planes company through the "Migdal" company, which is managed by Ms. Oren. The defendant vehemently denies that he introduced himself to Ms. Oren as "Avi" from the Danidov company, just as he denies the statements of the bookkeeper Basson, that he identified himself to him as "Haim Zaruk".
In the summaries, the defense referred to the version given by defendant 1 during his interrogation at the customs on October 30, 2000. This investigation began with a surprise search conducted at the home of defendant 1 in the early hours of the morning, after which he was brought to the customs offices, where he was held until late at night. Naturally, defendant 1 was upset and very concerned about the mental and physical health of his wife, who is a cancer patient. From the moment he arrived at the investigation offices until the end of the investigation, the defendant was cut off from the outside world and did not know her condition. He was subjected to a very long, intense, and exhausting interrogation, without being given any opportunity to speak to anyone. Against this background, we must relate to the course of the defendant's interrogation, in which the interrogators exerted constant psychological pressure on him and broke his spirit, until all he wanted was to appease them and confirm the interpretation they gave to his actions. Therefore, the written statement (P/321) should not be given much weight, and it is even possible that the notice should be disqualified from serving as evidence against the defendant, especially in light of the violation of his constitutional right to consult with an attorney, and even to be informed of this right.