(UTV|COLOMBO) – Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israel’s Prime Minister, has been charged with fraud and breach of trust for allegedly using public funds to pay for restaurant meals to be delivered to the couple’s official residence.
The long-anticipated charges were announced by Israel’s Justice Ministry on Thursday (21). Benjamin Netanyahu is also under investigation.
According to the indictment, Sara Netanyahu spent tens of thousands of dollars on meals from expensive restaurants between 2010 and 2013 in alleged violation of rules barring the residence from ordering in meals during periods when there was a cook on its staff.
Prosecutors claim that Sara Netanyahu conspired with a senior official at the residence to hide the fact that the meals were not eligible for reimbursement.
The indictment said she acted to “Fraudulently obtain state funding for various expenses for the accused and her family that were not supposed to be financed in this manner”.
She is accused of directing staff at the residence, including a former housekeeper, Meni Naftali – who later sued the Netanyahu family and the Israeli State for damages over his treatment by Sara Netanyahu – and another employee, to hide the fact that cooks were employed in the residence “So that this won’t be found out by the treasury and the Office Manager”.
If convicted, she could face a maximum sentence of five years behind bars, though this is unlikely.
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