The Ombuds Blog: Fired Holocaust Claims Conference Ombuds Alleges Widespread Fraud

July 08, 2015

Fired Holocaust Claims Conference Ombuds Alleges Widespread Fraud

In a letter to the board of the Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, former Ombudsman Shmuel Hollander said that earlier reports of $57 million embezzled funds was actually significantly higher. Hollander also said that his contract was not renewed by the board in retaliation because he helped expose “systematic failings and problematic organization behavior” that allowed the losses.

According to earlier reports, a criminal ring within the organization, which manages billions of dollars of Holocaust reparations payments, embezzled funds through false restitution claims. Hollander, who had previously served as Civil Service Commissioner for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, was appointed as the Ombuds in early 2012. (Jerusalem Post.)

Related posts: National Association of Corporate Directors Newsletter Touts Ombuds as Essential for Effective Board Governance; Gates Foundation Considering Ombuds; Claims Conference to Appoint Ombuds; Claims Conference Names First Ombuds.

2 comments:

Anonymous7/08/2015 12:06 PM
Talk about not going down without a fight!
-Angry Ombuds
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Anonymous7/08/2015 12:06 PM
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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Austria -- Ombudsstelle

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany -- Ombudspersonen

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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