Israeli representative of German company ThyssenKrupp, Michael Ganor, received about €10.2 million as bribe for the purchase of submarines by the Israeli Navy, “Globes” newspaper said in a report Thursday.
The German submarine builder's Israeli representative used the money to bribe senior Israeli military and political figures, it said.
Ganor, who has since turned state witness in the submarines-for-bribes affair asked that the payments be transferred to at least three different companies belonging to him in Israel, "Globes" said citing documents obtained by it.
The documents show that most of the money transferred to Ganor were for acting as an intermediary in the procurement deal for the sixth submarine ordered by Israel from ThyssenKrupp in 2012.
The German company was also supposed to pay him an additional €10 million for promoting construction of four battleships ordered by Israel. ThyssenKrupp froze the contract with Ganor after the investigation against him was begun, and stopped all money transfers to him.
Meanwhile, the marine unit of ThyssenKrupp has opened a permanent office in the company center in Israel’s Rishon Lezion, and will discontinue its use of local representatives, following the submarines affair, the company's heads announced at its annual press conference in Essen.
Company sources told “Globes” that the Israel office would henceforth manage the necessary contacts between the company and Israel for the construction of a sixth submarine for the Israeli navy in its HDW shipyards in Kiel and the construction of warships at the nearby Germany Naval Yards.