By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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Israel's wealthiest woman has been questioned by police over claims that African officials were paid bribes to win construction contracts for the company in which she once held a controlling stake.
Shari Arison was questioned under caution for eight hours by the anticorruption unit Lahav 433, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Israeli authorities are investigating claims that the construction firm Shikun & Binui paid bribes to get projects green-lit in Kenya and other African countries, Reuters reported.
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Arison's investment arm, Arison Group, sold off control of Shikun & Binui to Israeli-American businessman Naty Saidoff last week for $296 million.
A joint statement released by Israel Securities Authority and the police read*:* "As part of the Israel Police's organized battle against offenses relating to public corruption, the investigation continues into bribery of a foreign public employee and offenses under the Securities Law."
Arison Group said in a statement on Sunday that Arison, along with another executive, Efrat Peled, had been questioned.
"They cooperated fully and are certain there was no flaw in their conduct, and that this will also be the conclusion of the enforcement agencies," Arison Group said.
In February, four former and current employees of Shikun & Binui, including CEO Ofer Kotler, were also questioned on claims of bribery, with the firm saying it was conducting an internal investigation.
The claims first came to light when former financial officer Shay Skop said in a lawsuit that his salary was being withheld and he was being pressured after he exposed acts of alleged corruption of managers in the group, Haaretz reported.
Arison, 60, has an estimated worth of around $5.5 billion, much of which she and her brother inherited from her father, the late Ted Arison, who founded Carnival Corporation, the world's biggest cruise ship company.
Forbes ranked her as the richest woman in the Middle East and the fourth wealthiest in Israel. Through Arison Group she also controls Israel's biggest bank, Hapoalim.
Hapoalim is being investigated by U.S. authorities on claims it helped American clients evade taxes.
Arison also heads philanthropic organizations that are subsidiaries of The Ted Arison Family Foundation. Her nonprofit organization Ruach Tova has been credited with spurring a volunteer drive across the country.
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