Israel’s Attorney General is planning to indict Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, after she reportedly rejected a plea bargain agreement which would have required her to pay more than $50,000 to the state.
Mrs. Netanyahu, who is under investigation for alleged misuse of public funds, will likely face prosecution if she does not agree to a plea bargain arrangement offered by the Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit, Channel 2 reported Sunday evening.
Under the plea bargain agreement offered according to the report, Mrs. Netanyahu would be required to pay the state more than $55,000 and plead guilty to misappropriation of public funds.
Sara Netanyahu has reportedly refused the proposal, and is willing to pay no more than a quarter of the amount demanded by prosecutors.
A separate report by Yediot Ahronot, however, suggested that it is Attorney General Mandelblit who opposes the plea bargain arrangement, and that Mandelblit is preparing to file the indictment against Mrs. Netanyahu in the next few days.
Two years ago, police recommended charges be filed against Sara Netanyahu for the misuse of public funds, though the Attorney General did not indict her at the time.
Investigators have probed a series of allegations against Mrs. Netanyahu regarding her use of state funds, including claims furniture purchased for the Prime Minister’s Office was transferred to the Netanyahu family residence in Caesarea, allegations she used public funds to pay for chefs and private meals in the Netanyahu family residence, and claims Mrs. Netanyahu regarding the reimbursements from recycled bottles which had been purchased with taxpayer funds.