Sara Netanyahu admits misusing state funds and fined £11,931
Wife of Israel's prime minister sentenced in Jerusalem after she agreed to a plea bargain to end a years-long saga
The wife of Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been fined more than $15,000 (£11,931) for misusing state funds.
Sara Netanyahu was sentenced by a Jerusalem magistrates’ court on Sunday after she agreed to a plea bargain that ended the years-long saga of just one of the high-profile corruption cases involving the prime minister’s family.
The court ruling settled allegations that Mrs Netanyahu had misused some $100,000 (£79,543) in state money on lavish meals.
She was indicted on charges of fraud and breach of trust last year after the state attorney’s office accused her of running up large tabs at luxury restaurants while the official residence employed a full-time chef between 2010 and 2013.
The settlement saw her admit to a more minor charge of “intentionally exploiting the mistake of someone else”, specifically by misleading officials who did not realise she already benefited from chefs on the government payroll.
Under the terms of the bargain, Mrs Netanyahu agreed to pay $2,800 (£2,227) in fines and hand the remaining $12,500 (£9,942) back to the state. The settlement also reduced the overspending charge to $50,000 (£39,771).
The prime minister and his wife have a reputation for leading indulgent lives at public expense, which is out of touch with most Israelis.
Mrs Netanyahu, 60, in particular has been accused of excessive spending, using public money for her private, extravagant tastes and for abusive behaviour towards her personal staff.
These allegations earned her an image as the Israeli Imelda Marcos, the former Philippine first lady infamous for her collection of designer shoes.
In 2016, a court ruled Mrs Netanyahu mistreated a housecleaner and awarded the man $42,000 (£33,408) in damages.
Other employees have accused her of abuse, charges the Netanyahus reject.
Another former housekeeper is currently suing Mrs Netanyahu for $63,000 (£50,112) in damages over mistreatment and harassment.
But Mrs Netanyahu’s lawyer, Yossi Cohen, portrayed his client as a victim, saying she had “been put through hell” for the past four years with a public shaming campaign that was due only to her public standing.
“Sara Netanyahu is today paying a heavy and painful personal cost to put an end to this witch hunt, and I hope that indeed this is the end of the story,” he said after the hearing.
Mr Netanyahu has stood by her, calling her a “true hero” and bemoaning how she had become a “punching bag” for their opponents.
But the prime minister himself remains the main focus of the family’s repeated legal troubles.
He is facing an indictment on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, pending a hearing scheduled for early October.
He has pushed for a postponement and can still request an extension from the Supreme Court.
Mr Netanyahu is accused of accepting lavish gifts from billionaire friends and promising to promote advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in exchange for favourable coverage.
He vehemently denies wrongdoing, portraying himself as a victim of media-orchestrated persecution against him and his family in an attempt to oust him from power.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
