Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife was questioned by police on Friday over new graft allegations, according to Israeli media, Anadolu Agency reports.
Israeli daily Haaretz reported:
“The Prime Minister’s wife was questioned under caution on Friday by the police for over three hours on suspicion of fraudulently deceiving the state comptroller.”
Benjamin Netanyahu's wife Sara Netanyahu grilled on new fraud allegation: Israel media https://t.co/hy3ZKXMHaw pic.twitter.com/RcYz4G0IQ7
— NDTV (@ndtv) December 7, 2018
The case was investigated as an appendix to the Bezeq-Walla bribery case, which involves Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The police investigation with Sara Netanyahu was over the employment terms of the family’s former media adviser Nir Hefetz.
No wayhttps://t.co/x1t2sfnTaH
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) December 7, 2018
Hefez, according to the police suspicions, was employed without payment.
According to the newspaper, if the prosecution decides to indict Netanyahu in this case, it will be added to the indictment already served against her regarding offenses in the prime minister’s residences.
Last June, the Israeli PM’s wife had been indicted for fraud and breach of public trust for allegedly using public funds to pay for expensive restaurant meals.
Israeli police recommended charging Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara for bribery and other offences over the weekend, the third such recommendation against them in recent months. https://t.co/q4etn6L1Dy
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) December 7, 2018
According to the indictment, Sara instructed staff at the Prime Minister’s Jerusalem residence to order private meals worth some 350,000 Israeli shekels (roughly $96,600) in the period from 2010 to 2013.
Over the last two years, the prime minister and his family have been questioned several times over corruption and fraud allegations.
In February, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu is indicted for alleged corruption, saying there was sufficient evidence to formally charge him in two separate graft cases.
Sara Netanyahu to Be Questioned on Suspicion of Fraud on Friday https://t.co/uwvQ0UAwu9#GroupPalestine #قروب_فلسطيني pic.twitter.com/VdfBfvbmDf
— Israel Collapse (@countdown2040) December 8, 2018
The first case involves Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was allegedly asked to purchase luxury items for both the prime minister and his wife.
The second relates to an alleged deal for favorable media coverage with Arnon Mozes, the publisher of prominent Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
Mandelblit reportedly has yet to decide whether or not to press charges against Netanyahu in both cases.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
