Israel PM's Wife Convicted of Misusing Public Funds
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Israeli court Sunday convicted the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fraudulently using public funds for meals, under a plea bargain which saw her admit to lesser charges.
Sara Netanyahu was found guilty of exploiting the mistake of another person and ordered to pay a fine and compensation, in a deal approved by Jerusalem magistrates' court justice Avital Chen, Reuters reported.
According to the original indictment, Sara Netanyahu, along with an employee, fraudulently obtained from the public fund more than US$100,000 for hundreds of meals supplied by restaurants, bypassing regulations that prohibit the practice if a cook is employed at home.
Smiling broadly, Netanyahu faced a phalanx of cameras in the courthouse before the session got underway.
At the hearing, a judge ratified the plea deal, convicting her of the criminal charge of intentionally exploiting another person's mishandling of public money for her own benefit, after prosecutors dropped the more serious offense of fraud.
