NEW YORK - A New York businessman and fundraiser testified Tuesday he provided Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert cash because Olmert preferred cash to checks. Morris Talansky said he met Olmert while he was fundraising in Israel and began raising money for Olmert's bid to be Jerusalem's mayor, Ynetnews.com reported. Police are investigating Olmert for bribery. "I said I would help him," Talansky testified before a three-judge panel in occupied Jerusalem. "I asked him why I couldn't just write him a check and he said it was because of the way the money was routed. So I gave him cash." He said he usually gave the cash - several thousand dollars - in envelopes to Olmert's aide, Shula Zaken, but also gave money to Olmert directly when the two visited in the United States. "Shula always said he had expenses," the New York businessman said. "Olmert said the funds were used for primary expenses." Talansky told the judges he didn't benefit or get any advantages from his relationship with Olmert. "It even occurred to me that I would have any personal stake," he said. "I kept funnelling funds through Shula Zaken until 2004, including when he was trade, industry and labour minister."