Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, was charged on Thursday with fraud over the alleged misuse of state funds in ordering catered meals at their official residence, the Justice Ministry said.
The indictment charged that Netanyahu, along with a government employee, fraudulently obtained more than $100,000 for hundreds of meals supplied by restaurants, bypassing regulations prohibiting the practice if a cook is employed at the home.
She was charged with aggravated fraud and breach of trust, according to the indictment released by the Justice Ministry to the media.
The prime minister himself is embroiled in a series of corruption investigations.
In February Israeli police recommended indicting him for bribery, opening the way for what could be the biggest challenge yet to the right-wing leader’s political survival.
One of the cases, known as Case 1000, alleged the “committing of crimes of bribery, fraud and breach of trust by the prime minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu.”
In a detailed statement, police named Arnon Milchan, a Hollywood producer and Israeli citizen, and Australian businessman James Packer, saying that for nearly a decade, from 2007 to 2016, they gave gifts that included champagne, cigars and jewelry to Netanyahu and his family.
Sara Netanyahu, 59, has inspired a multitude of headlines in the past over what family spokesmen call an undeserved reputation for imperiousness.
